Tomatin 1992 Review

Country: Scotland

Region: Central Highlands

Brand: Tomatin 1992

Type: Single Malt

Age: 20 Years

ABV: 53.9 %

Date: 29/10/2013

Colour: Light Amber/Oloroso Sherry

Nose: Quite Sweet and very Heavy on Sherry. Some Sulphur as well. I also get lots of Dried Fruits (Raisins), Red Fruits (slightly Sour Grapes and Plums), Oak, Treacle, Brown Sugar, Orange Peel, Vanilla, Buttered Toast, Light Spices and hints of Espresso and Chocolate. Can you say that a Whisky gives a tired impression? Because that's the best way to characterise the Nose of this Tomatin. A Sherry Bomb without a Bomb!

Taste: (Bitter) Sweet with Sherry, Sulphur, Dried Fruits, Red Fruit like Grapes and Plums, Caramel, Toffee, Oak, light Licorice, Espresso, Christmas Cake and Winter Spices like Cinnamon and Nutmeg.  

Finish: Bitter-Sweet and Dry towards the end with Sherry, light Sulphur, light Licorice, Treacle, Dried Fruits, Bitter Chocolate, Christmas Cake and Winter Spices. 

I added a few drops of Water and on the Nose Sherry, Red Fruit, Vanilla, Milk Chocolate and Malt take the lead. But Palate and Finish become too diluted for my taste. But this Tomatin gives you room to experiment with a couple of drops. 

Rating: 82.5  

Nose: 20.5  - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: The Tomatin Distillery was founded in 1897 and is located close to the A9 Motorway, halfway between Aviemore and Inverness. Over the years it grew very fast and today it has one the largest production capacities in the industry, although the distillery is currently not producing at full capacity. It is owned by the Japanese Takara Shuzo and Okura Group. A large part of the production (80%) goes into blends like Antiquary and Talisman. Lately the distillery is making an effort to promote its Single Malts. Today's dram was distilled on October 2, 1992 and was bottles at Cask Strength on November 14, 2012. It matured in an Oloroso Sherry Hogshead with Cask # 31497. This Tomatin is naturally coloured and not Chill-Filtered. It was priced at around 190 US Dollars. I'm not quite sure it's still available.

Drinking Experience Neat: Regular/Good

Conclusion: A Good Sherried Single Malt should present a correct balance between the Sherry and the other Aromas and Flavours. And the Sulphur should not spoil the fun. In the case of this Tomatin however the Sherry is on the Heavy Side and the Sulphur is quite present. So while it's not really a bad dram, this Tomatin gives a bit of a tired and dusty impression. As a Christmas whisky I prefer the similar - but much better balanced Glendronach Allardice 18 years, the Aberlour A' Bunadh or the Tomatin 1976 by Mo Or.

Jan van den Ende                                                             October 2013