Mortlach Scotch Whisky

From the Whisky pilot by Uniqum Systems :
The first of Dufftown's "seven stills" Founded by James Findlater. For a time it was owned by J & J Grant of Glen Grant who removed the distilling utensils. It lay unoccupied for some years, the barley granary serving as a Free Church during the Disruption until a Free Church building could be erected.
Extended from three to six stills in 1897. Acquired by John Walker & Son in 1923, by which time it was the largest distillery in the area. Walker's joined DCL in 1925 and management of Mortlach passed to SMD in 1936. The old Mortlach was demolished and rebuilt in the early 1960s, re- opening in 1964. Now part of United Distillers plc.
In the hollow in which the distillery lies (Mortlach means bowl-shaped valley) was fought the battle, in 1010, at which the Scots' king Malcolm II defeated the Danes. Tradition has it that the distillery is on the site of an illicit still which drew its water from a spring called Highland John's Well. Except in 1944, Mortlach had permission to stay open during the Second World War.
Situated at the junction of the A941 and B9014 on the eastern outskirts of Dufftown.

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Source www.bbr.com :

Mortlach Distillery, Speyside

Mortlach was the first distillery to be built at Dufftown. However following it's purchase by J & J. Grant of Glen Grant it was used first as a church, and then as a brewery, before finally being restored to it's true purpose in life.

A new distillery was built in 1964 but the exterior, including two different kinds of pagoda heads, has retained its look of a turn-of-the-century complex. The stills at Mortlach are unusual in that they are of different sizes and, although there are three of each type, they are not paired off. In the 1890s three stills were already in place and, in 1897, when capacity was doubled, this meant six individual stills, not three pairs. This has had to be maintained, as to do otherwise would probably have altered the character of the spirit. There is a rather complicated procedure of making different combinations of distillate from each of the stills and using two spirit safes.

Mortlach is lightly peated but has extra depth and roundness. The aromas and flavour are smoky, spicy and rich with a dry edge to innate sweetness. The official bottling is at 16 years and 43% vol.