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.
Whiskyrific RSS
- Bowmore 16 yo Cadenhead Sheriff’s Bowmore Distillery 46% vs Bowmore 13 yo Cadenhead Sheriff’s Bowmore Distillery 80 proof
- Ardbeg Provenance 2nd Release for the US 23 yo 1974 / 1998 54.7% vs Ardbeg Provenance 1st release 23 yo 1974 / 1997 55.6%
- Strathisla 1965 / 2011 #3473 vs Tamdhu 21 yo 1990 Old & Rare Douglas Laing
- Strathisla 34 yo 1937 / 1972 Gordon and Macphail for Pinerolo 43% vs Macallan 1947 securo cap Campbell, Hope & King for Rinaldi 80 proof
- Pechuga Del Maguey PEC-131 49% vs Pierde Almas Conejo 2015 Lote: 06-PC 51%
- Gilbey’s Redbreast 12 yo , John Jameson & Son Liqueur Whiskey vs Jameson 15 yo Limited Millenium Edition 1984 / 2000 vs Daly’s Tullamore Distillery 38 yo 1952 -1991 Cadenhead 68.9%
- Dalwhinnie 25 yo 1987 / 2012 Special Release 52.1% vs Dalwhinnie 29 yo 1973 / 2003 Special Release 57.8%
- Glenfiddich-Glenlivet 30 yo 1963 / 1993 Cadenhead 51.7% vs Glenfiddich 1974 / 2002 50th Anniversary Of The Coronation Of HM Queen Elizabeth II #2336 48.9%
- Edradour 10 yo The Distillery Edition vs Edradour Ballechin 4 The Discovery Series
- Rosebank 22 yo 1990 / 2012 #93361 Chieftains vs Rosebank 30 yo 1974 / 2005 #1595 Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask for Alambic 55.6%
