Tomatin 18 Year Oloroso Sherry Casks

So far one of my favourite smell like a fruit cocktail, perhap grape or sherry. It taste a hint of smoke/okay note, maybe maple or honey, definitely cinnamon and some chocolate and light citrus. Definitely getting again.

After the Bushmills Steamship Sherry and the Scallwag 13 yr (Aberlour i am picking) this sherried offering is a sharp step down. This starts sweet and not to bad on the top palate but then as scotchinghard noted green apple like notes, bittering finish. This is my 11th Tomatin variety and personally whilst most have been middle of the road fair this one ranks near bottom. Higher than their awful 'Five Virtues' offerings. This distillery is a bit like Glenrothes, by in large they don't seem to be able to achieve anything great but when a 3rd party independent bottler like Adelphi get their hands on the distillate man it can blow you away - 4.5 rating and one of the top drams out of around 120 I sampled at Dramfest. It really shows great spirit, poor tired overused casking used in their official bottling. I do have 1 official limited 2400 run European and North American oak bottling a 21 yr which was really nice. This blargh, there is a reason why it's one of the cheapest 18 year olds.

On the nose it is sweet and fresh, with a light herbaceous profile that acts as a counterpoint to a profusion of ripe fruit (pineapple, peach, pear, plum), raisins infused in alcohol, Milk candy, cinnamon. In the background, a woody caress (watch out for splinters). Amiable but not pimp. The palate is interesting, placing a bitterish tip of licorice and anise next to the sweetness of the fruit, which together with chocolate, hazelnuts and, ça va sans dire, cinnamon adds thickness to the drink. Wood becomes more present, on the threshold of invasiveness but managing to keep just one step back, drying the tongue. A certain floral freshness remains, although largely in the background. Medium-long finish, made of wood, anise, hazelnuts, raisins. The bitter side I admit to be a bit unsettling, and to some it could be quite repulsive, while for me it is what has given this whisky an extra gear, making it varied and fun: the sherry endings they all tend to feel the same, while here wood has contributed to give a three-dimensionality. We are right on the edge, an extra push and everything would have collapsed (therefore, more than ever, this is a very personal feel), but for me it is promoted.

Finally a good Tomatin. I have had a couple before, the cheaper core expressions and they werent anything to die for. This one is great. Bottled at 43%abv, On the nose amontillado sherry (just as glenmorangie tayne) (i know that itbis oloroso sherry but for me, it was amontillado). Orange Jam and chocolate cake. It is just like Glenmorangie The Tayne but without the alcohol note. On the palate, more of the same, Orange, Cake, Tobacco; Bitterness comes and goes. Finish is very long and seems to repeat itself in your palate, almost neverending. Overall i think this is a great dram, for me it is at least a 95 over 100, and if you ever drink Tomatin, be sure you start on this one.