🥃 Mortlach 12 Wee Witchie
The youngest permanent version of Mortlach single malt whisky: 12 years, 43.4% ABV; ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks; named after the Wee Witchie still.
Mortlach 12 Wee Witchie is the youngest permanent expression of Mortlach single malt Scotch whisky from Dufftown in Speyside. The age on the label is 12 years and the strength is 43.4% ABV. The name comes from the smallest still at the distillery, the Wee Witchie, which plays a key role in its distinctive distillation.
All three permanent expressions, which replaced the 2014 range (Rare Old, 18 and 25 years) in 2018, are bottled at 43.4% ABV and made using the “2.81 distillation” method: six stills, and the heaviest part of the first cut is distilled a third time in the smallest still. According to Whisky For Everyone, the 12-year-old matures in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks; with this release the bottle went back to 0.7 l from 0.5 l. Taiwan was the first market.
Why it matters to you. This is the entry-level expression and the only one of the three permanent releases that, according to the description, includes bourbon casks. Mortlach 16 Distiller's Dram and Mortlach 20 Cowie's Blue Seal mature only in sherry casks and are older. The age on the label refers to the youngest whisky in the bottle. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 43.4% ABV |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | 12 years (age of the youngest whisky in the bottle) |
| Cask type | mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks (per Whisky For Everyone) |
| Distillation method | “2.81 distillation”: six stills; part of the cuts distilled a third time in the Wee Witchie still |
| Raw material | malted barley; water |
| EU category | 2 — whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), Single Malt Scotch Whisky |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Mortlach 12 Wee Witchie → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Mortlach, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky
- Similar and different
- 🍷 Sherry, 🥃 Bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Johnnie Walker, 🥃 Mortlach 20 Cowie's Blue Seal, 🥃 Mortlach 20 Cowie's Blue Seal, 🥃 Mortlach 16 Distiller's Dram, 🥃 Mortlach 16 Distiller's Dram
Frequently asked questions
Is Wee Witchie the name of a separate distillery?
No. It is the nickname of Mortlach's smallest still, in which part of the spirit is distilled a third time. The 12-year-old expression is named after it.
What is the strength of Mortlach 12?
43.4% ABV, the same as the 16- and 20-year-old versions, according to the 2018 reviews.
What casks is Mortlach 12 matured in?
According to Whisky For Everyone, in a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky — Malted barley is the base of whisky: malt enzymes convert starch in the mash, and EU whisky is distilled below 94.8% vol.
- 🥃 Bourbon whiskey — American whiskey from a mash of at least 51% corn, stored in new charred oak barrels and bottled at 40% ABV or more.
- 🥃 Johnnie Walker — Scottish blended whisky owned by Diageo; the brand's story starts with John Walker's grocery shop in Kilmarnock, opened in 1820.
Similar
🥃 Mortlach 16 Distiller's Dram · 🥃 Mortlach 20 Cowie's Blue Seal · 🥃 BenRiach The Original Ten · 🥃 Glen Grant Arboralis · 🥃 Glen Grant 12 Year Old · 🥃 Aberlour A'bunadh
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Whisky For Everyone: Review, Mortlach 12 Years Old 'Wee Witchie' (07.08.2018; 43.4 %; ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks; named after the Wee Witchie still)
- The Whiskey Wash: Diageo Reboots Its Mortlach Scotch Whisky Line Up (11.08.2018; 12 Wee Witchie, 16 Distiller's Dram, 20 Cowie's Blue Seal; 43.4 %; 2.81 distillation)
- Difford's Guide: Mortlach Distillery (1823; 2.81 distilled; six stills; 2014 range Rare Old, Special Strength, 18 and 25 years)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)