Tobermory 2005 Fino Cask Finish

Directly from the Isle of Mull, Scotland’s Tobermory distillery is in the midst of a sort of rebrand. They’ve changed the labels, packaging and tinkered with some of the age statements and finishes to their regular lineup. They are pushing the age statement, and subsequent price point, upwards and focusing on 12 year old whisky with different finishing casks. I don’t think they’ve left the standard 10 year in the dust, but they are actively marketing the 12 now. Cheers to that, except for the $15-20 per bottle price increase. This particular bottle was finished in Fino Sherry casks for an unspecified amount of time and I paid $102 for the bottle from a specialty shop out of the UK. It’s an attractive, deep amber/copper mix and makes thin legs and tiny drops thanks to the elevated ABV of 55.1%. The smell reminded me a lot of Kilchoman and Caol Ila, minus the earthy peat. Definitely maritime and salty, but the dry sherry adds a nice, sweet aroma to the mix. Fresh oak spirals, apples, raspberries and a slight cough syrup note waft up from the Glencairn and give way to a lingering burnt tea leaf note. It’s a bit mixed up and a little uneven, but complex. The palate is overwhelmed by sherry cask notes. It’s fruitier than expected from Tobermory, but the finishing time definitely overpowers the sea spray and terroir of the Scottish islands. It’s not a bad thing, but it was unexpected. I find it hard to believe the extra 2 years has taken the edge off of the spirit itself, but maybe it has- or those fino casks had some extra oomph in them. The mouthfeel still tends toward the drier side and it left me feeling a little parched by mid sip. The fruitiness persisted, though, and that was fine. The finish was long and dry, warm and slightly abrasive, but still mouthwatering at the very end. There was a lingering saltiness that persisted even after a delayed slug of water. The ABV and salt really play hardball after the dram ends so be prepared to feel the need to reach for a chaser of some sort. That wasn’t nearly as bad after some oxidation, but it still effected the overall experience in a negative way. Overall, I like the experimentation and finishing cask choice, I just think it’s a little too powerful, ABV-wise, and that plays havoc with the total sipping experience. If you like your whisky fruity, hot and dry you’ll be happy I think haha. That’s a weird combo, in my opinion, but hey- different strokes for different folks. As it is, this is a 3.5 star dram/experience. Cheers. PS- if you enjoy watching video whisky reviews on your phone/computer and you’d like a little comedic relief to go along with it please check out @Generously_Paul’s YouTube channel, Dapper Drams. If you look closely enough you might even catch me acting foolish from time to time. Please Like, Subscribe and tell your friends. Thanks.

Nose: Dark chocolate and citrus. Light with hints of juicy red grapes. Palate: Sour and dry. The first sip is sharp due to the dryness from the Fino finish. The second sip is creamy and spicy. Finish: A medium long finish. Water: More citrus on the nose. 6-8 drops removes the sharpness.