North Star Series 15 and 16 tasting, The Oak Barrel, Sydney, 9 March 2022. Whisky #5 Nose: Initially the nose is gently floral and fruity with pear and apple aromas. Over time soft oak is noticed together with a chalky/mineral quality that I suspect is lactic in origin. A soft briny breeze wafts across fields of ripe grain. With the addition of water, the floral notes develop further – freesias growing near a shingle beach. Palate: The arrival is salt-sweet and fruity like salted-caramel chocolate-covered preserved fruit. The development quickly ushers in an uplifting minty taste – peppermint and mild spearmint – coupled with creamy vanilla. It’s like a vanilla slice with subtle mint icing. The texture is creamy but not heavy. Finish: Medium. Milk chocolate, caramel sauce, a hint of sour cherry and a fresh lingering minty note. An interesting malt that is refreshingly light and elegant for all its 26 years. Up until the early 2000s Tobermory new-make was inconsistent, frequently feinty and often lactic (“baby-sick” was the ubiquitous comment). However it has improved a lot over the last two decades and recently the distillery has been releasing some very fine age statements. Expressions like this that date back to last century can be hard to predict and it all comes down to the casking. Thankfully this one was gracefully aged in a quiet refill hogshead which allowed ample time for delicate extractive maturation and spared it the weight of sherry and oak spices that might otherwise have brought the distillate to its knees. A dash of water works very well, and at 51% the whisky can easily take a little dilution. Give it some time to rest after watering and the dram improves in every respect, however although it is without question a good whisky, for me it did not quite reach a level that I’d describe as “very good”. At AUD$350 a bottle the price is not unreasonable when compared against other whiskies aged in their mid-20s, so it is definitely value for money. However in terms of outright quality for money I think I would prefer to spend that $350 on something else. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)