Review transfer from Barreled from December 2016
This 14 year old Tomatin is 46% ABV, is non chill filtered and is natural color. The color is a beautiful amber peach. This Highland scotch is matured in ex bourbon barrels and finished in port pipes that previously held port wines for around 50 years.
There is a burst of oaky raisins initially on the nose. After a few minutes the raisins disappear and an abundance of red berries and sweet red wines take over. It develops into baked apples, apricots, and oranges. The bourbon barrels also come through with vanilla, butterscotch, toffee, and caramel. Truly a wonderfully sweet nose.
The palate takes off in another direction entirely. A wave of spice washes over the tongue and coats the mouth. Immediately following the spice is a candy sweetness with dark berries and plums. Plenty of oak and some bitter nuttiness like raw walnuts. Very full bodied.
The mouthfeel is very drying and mouth coating. The finish is good and long. Spicy with some bitter dark chocolate.
Tomatin has quickly climbed the ranks among my Highland scotch favorites. This port finished scotch is much stronger than I expected and I wouldn't consider it a desert dram like I do with the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, but it's damn good. I would love to get my hands on the 1988 Tomatin that is 25 years old and probably uses higher quality port wood, but at over $400 I doubt I'll seek it out. However for around $55 I would buy this one in a heartbeat. Thanks to
@LeeEvolved for the sample. 4.5
Cheers