Tomatin 14 yo 1987 Carn Mor, cask 494
I’ve not had a naked (read ex-bourbon) young-ish Tomatin before, but it’s great if like me, you love to get a hint of the distillery character without sherry or wood finishes. It’s well known that Tomatin is a huge distillery with most of the output going into blends and a new core range, but even so, I wonder why we don’t see a lot of its single malt going to the indies.
Nose: Honey and lots of cereal biscuity notes. Quite a clean medium weight whisky with those tell tale pear skin notes that suggests this spirit really needs time. But also already quite some cream and new wax, something pithy bitter, a fair dose of hot spice plus a curious ‘heavy’ floral aromas like clover and patchouli. In truth rather quite appetizing and fresh!
Palette: More honey and new malty notes. Much greener on the tongue with a drying herbal astringency. Some eucalyptus, and then more waxy. Cooked honey. Much less generous on the tongue than the nose suggests. Seems more ‘highland’ than ‘speyside’.
Finish: Medium and dry. Touch of minerals and astringent again.
I quite like this, I know it doesn’t sound lush but it’s really quite inviting in a clean, fresh, fuss-free way. I can see how adding some islay or sherried speysider can result in a perfectly drinkable blend.
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