LeeEvolved
Tobermory 2005 Fino Cask Finish
Single Malt — Islands, Scotland
Reviewed
June 26, 2019 (edited June 21, 2020)
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.
102.0
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per
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@Generously_Paul @LeeEvolved - Sorry, I didn’t mean “high end.” I said “high profile” as in “most popular.” Go to the Distiller “search” tab and “reset search” based on popularity for whisky and there’s your list. Everything in the top 30 for bourbon and scotch is under $100 and you’ve already reviewed many of them. Most people will go to the reviews initially for information. If you snag them with humor, then that’s an added bonus.
@Rick_M like Lee said, I’m doing this mostly for entertainment value. I typically don’t buy high dollar bottles so I’m just going with what I have on hand at the moment. Starting off it will be mostly stuff on the lower end of the price range. I agree that episode 001 was way too long, but that was me just getting a feel for things. I’m doing this just to get out there and have a few laughs, not looking to make a name for myself as a serious YouTube reviewer. Lee said he plans on making a handful of videos with high end stuff, so that should help satisfy those out there who want to see a more impressive collection (and Daftmill wasn’t exactly cheap).
@Rick_M - I think @Generously_Paul is looking to eventually build a large catalog of videos, with whiskies at different price points for all level of drinkers. It isn’t all about high end whisky- which is why some of the videos are meant to be strictly for entertainment value. I think you’ll likely see a trend towards good to really good bottles, but there will also be bottom shelf stuff and bottles covered just for sheer laughs. We are always in discussion about which bottles to cover, just how serious each video should be, and how frequently videos should be released. We are looking for a balance while still trying to be open to viewer suggestions and ideas. So thanks for the input- we definitely hear you. Cheers.
@Generously_Paul - watched episode one earlier. Found it entertaining but still way too long. Also, I think you’ll get more views if you go after higher profile products. Who the heck is interested Daftmill?
@LeeEvolved - yes, I do. Even if you grab a bottle that’s already open it would be great to get a look at the whisky jungle as you’ve described it here. Once people get a partial glimpse of your collection it will give you instant credibility. Just don’t give out your address. :) Personally, I think you two should work as a team since you have vastly different styles to play off each other, then see where it goes. Don’t be afraid to point out each other’s idiosyncrasies.
@PBMichiganWolverine any solo videos I do would be shorter, but also less focused on comedy. I think. I guess I just have to record a few and see where they take me. Either way they will be there, in some form, and posted at irregular intervals that reflect my available free time
@LeeEvolved personally I would. It’s just me, but I always mix up a gym routine by either listening to NPR, NYTimes or YouTube clips.
@Soba45 @Rick_M @PBMichiganWolverine - I agree with @Generously_Paul about the fact that we don’t want to do full reviews because we’d basically be saying everything we say here. Paul wants to do solo reviews and I think that helps with overall channel content, but how much will it really add to the discussion here? Probably very little. I am also thinking of doing solo reviews, mine being more of a grab an unopened bottle off the shelf, open it and quick review/score it before I gather my thoughts and write a thorough review here. Not sure how I could add comedic effect to that, but there may be some chances. Do you guys think there’s value in doing it that way and would you watch episodes like that?
@Generously_Paul personally, I see the comedy part as the fun part. If it was only a whiskey review, I’m the type that’ll jump to the end and see the final “number’. But what makes a person see it fully is the additional portion you can’t find in other reviews.
@Soba45 @Rick_M I hear you both. My original intent was to keep the videos under 15 minutes, but that quickly went out the window as we decided to make it more comedy based than the original idea for the channel. The more things progress the more we add. The next video will be 18 minutes, the one after that 22, but I feel they are funnier than the first 2. We decided to incorporate characters and caricatures for the comedy aspect which adds time due to jokes and skits. As far as a quick clips review... it takes me too long as it is to edit these videos that I can’t justify the additional load. I’m not doing a full review of the whiskies as that would add too much time. That’s why I reference Distiller so people can read the full review. I will look for small things to cut in the future such as mouthfeel and finish if I feel they aren’t necessary. I appreciate the feedback and that you guys are taking the time to watch. I’m going to do solo videos here and there that will surely be shorter.
@LeeEvolved @Generously_Paul Great work guys, loved the reviews. Even more than @Rick_M I generally prefer quicker sound bites though...I can get great written reviews from you both (which I put a lot of stock in) in 1 minute so I just skip through the videos to certain parts I'm interested in (as I do with all whiskey videos). Is it possible to do a full length (10-15mins) and a highlights (3-5 mins) version?
@Rick_M - thanks, sir. We’re having a pretty good time with it right now. Paul has echoed your exact concerns- he doesn’t really want the videos to be longer than 15-20 minutes and we are both very aware of the edits- we’re both hoping to get better with practice lol.
To be clear, I thought it was very good for this early in the game. You guys have potential so keep up the good work!
Ok, here’s my critique: Generously_Paul.....mildly amusing, but that could be biased because I know him. Especially liked the map of Scotland tattoo. LeeEvolved.....laughed my ass off! Now, that man could give ralfy a run for his money. More feedback: way too many edits. This stuff needs to be like SNL and not worry about the blunders. Also, not sure about others, but if I see a review over 10 minutes I usually pass on it. Then again, if it’s funny, it will keep me coming back. :)
@Rick_M - haha, Paul is trying to maintain the straight-laced, whisky reviewer- it’s the other cast, including myself, that’s willing to make fools of ourselves. I think it will be mixed up a little more in future episodes as I’d also like to give some serious reviews from time to time, going forward. @PBMichiganWolverine - yeah, Paul and I both have some crazy ideas for future episodes- you never know what you might see. I think I prove in episode 4 that there’s nothing I won’t stoop to doing, though. Stay tuned.
@PBMichiganWolverine, @Rick_M new episode to drop next week. Will be damn funny if a do say so myself
@LeeEvolved next time, do a Godfather rendition. I can so see you making a threat of leaving a Girvan on @Generously_Paul ‘s bed , saying “ just when I thought I was out, they PULL me back in!”
@LeeEvolved - ok Lee, that’s the 2nd plug you GP, so I’ll check him out. I’m sure it will be a good review but I’m a little skeptical of comedic relief part. :)
@Scott_E - lol, for the most part it was supposed to be a bit, but I can’t deny that after 5-6 takes I wasn’t opposed to just turning out the light and calling it a night haha.
@LeeEvolved I couldn’t tell if you were acting or really in a dreamy state. Good job, to you and @Generously_Paul. Pretty funny and informational.