
June 8, 2016

Three joyful Tomatins. Perhaps four.
Or five. Or six.

Tomatin are part of the pro-age-statement and pro-transparency brigade. I have the utmost respect for them. Product first, then marketing, and not the other way ’round, you see – which doesn’t mean no marketing of course. Or you’d better get your handkerchiefs out… (if you ask me – but yeah, who am I?) Let’s kick this off with a little apéritif…

Tomatin 5 yo (75° proof, OB, early 1960s)

A rare old bottle bearing a very high reputation – this might be a ‘killing’ apéritif! Colour: gold. Nose: starts acrid, pine-y, and pretty smoky. Burning fir wood, perhaps. Whiffs of camphor, embrocations, tiger balm (Kramer, who told you to put the balm on?), flint stone, old cigarette lighter, crème de menthe, fresh concrete, rubbed leaves… And then quite a lot of caraway and juniper. Surprisingly herbal and rather un-fruity for Tomatin. Mouth: same very punchy, acrid, pungent style, with some ginger, stones, ink, liquorice wood, chlorophyll, leather, bitter curry paste, pepper, and always a lot of juniper. Big very herbal body. As far as fruits go, perhaps a little ‘green’ grapefruit? Finish: long and bitter. A little Campari, more juniper, ginger roots… One drop of orange juice as the signature. Comments: probably a little unbalanced by today’s standards, this old young Tomatin is extremely vegetal and bitter. But as an example of this long forgotten style, it’s great. SGP:382 - 84 points.

Tomatin 1997/2014 (46%, Gordon & MacPhail, Connoisseur’s Choice)

Colour: white wine. Nose: total easy fruitiness. Ripe apples, honey, maple syrup, a little custard, drops of banana cream, and touches of honeysuckle and chamomile teas. This baby’s got something ‘Irish pure pot still’ at times, on the nose. Shall we call it Redbreasty? Mouth: extremely easy, extremely good. Malt, fruits, and grass, plus a little fudge and custard. Banana sweets, lemon drops, barley syrup, light ‘breakfast’ honey… Very good, but beware its extreme drinkability. Finish: medium, fruity, easy. I can’t see who wouldn’t like this. Comments: full easy fruity pleasures. Now they should add a warning to the label, it’s too easy. SGP:651 - 86 points.

Tomatin 21 yo 1994/2016 (48%, Claxton’s, hogshead, casks #1503-11247, 230 bottles)

We already had an excellent Tobermory by this new house. Colour: white wine/straw. Nose: the G&M with a little more power and a little more earthy touches. I love it, it makes me think of the best Sancerres or Pouilly-Fumés out there, even if it tends to become a little rounder after two minutes. Honey and maple syrup, but only wee drops. Perfect leafy earthiness. Is this autumn already? Mouth: same feelings. A grassy Sancerre, with grapefruits, cut grass, green plums, and only the smallest hint of honey. Also green bananas, one of Tomatin’s markers in my book. Finish: medium, with the grass supporting the zesty fruits, plus more of that leafy and peppery earthiness in the aftertaste. Comments: some immaculate zesty/grassy Tomatin. Oh and they should add that warning too. SGP:561 - 87 points.

Tomatin 2001/2016 (56.1%, OB for Cadenhead’s Switzerland, 7th anniversary, finished four years in PX, cask #34876)

That’s right, an OB for a Cadenhead’s shop, which goes to show that not everyone in the whisky industry is narrow-minded and, well, ultra-defensive these days. I find the idea of this bottling very joyful and refreshing, but let’s check the content… Which, BTW, is more double-maturation than just a simple aromat… I mean, a simple finishing. Colour: gold. Nose: ultra-smart. Blending caramelised walnut purée (that would be the sherry, whether PX or palomino) with Tomatin’s immaculate fruitiness could not not work, could it? Walnut cake with crystallised oranges and speculoos. Truly ‘world’! With water: a little ‘good sulphur’, saltpetre, musty old wine cellar, cigarette tobacco… All that is lovely. Mouth (neat): absolutely excellent. I’m usually suspicious of any quick-and-easy PX finishings, but again, this isn’t exactly a finishing. And I’m a sucker for anything reeking of walnuts (as nuts, liqueur, wine, syrup, cake, and even intravenously – I’m joking). With water: takes water very well. Walnuts, pu-erh tea, cigars, and a little thyme, perhaps. Finish: medium, with some walnuts and leather. Very leafy aftertaste, with even a little mustard. Comments: very smartly selected, Cadenhead Switzerland! And a total brainwave, this official independent bottling, so kudos to Tomatin too! SGP:461 - 89 points.

Tomatin 1990/2015 (54.4%, OB, distillery exclusive, bourbon, cask #16366)

Colour: straw. Nose: it’s got this grassiness as well at first sniffs, but the expected topical and orchard fruits are soon to take over, with plantain bananas, guavas, and greengages plus pears. Some kind of mentholy lemon adds even more freshness, while the oak adds just wee touches of vanilla and coconut. Very wee ones! With water: the usual feeling of fruit salad with drizzles of acacia honey and barley syrup. Pretty perfect, this. Mouth (neat): an extravagantly and tropically fruity arrival, on guavas again, passion fruits, lemons, and grapefruits. All that is sharp and ultra-zesty, without much compromise as they say on Kildalton’s coastline. Did they add grapefruits to their mash? With water: more of all that, with a feeling of dry sémillon (or dry white from Sauternes). Finish: medium, all on grapefruits and lemons. Comments: not quite the exuberant kind of tropical fruitiness as could be found in earlier vintages (say 1976), but it’s, well, just great, and superbly clean. Excellent. SGP:651 - 89 points.

Tomatin 1988/2016 ‘Cù Bòcan’ (51.5%, OB, peated, 2200 bottles)

Honestly, not too sure about the packaging, but at least it’s funny. Could it have been borrowed from an old LP sleeve? From one by a minor American hard-prog band, circa 1976? Anyway, this baby was matured in sherry casks that had previously sheltered some heavily peated Islay whisky. Colour: gold. Nose: this is much more ‘Tomatin’ than ‘Islay’, and we shan’t complain. Now there is a smoky coastalness, for sure, but that more or less punctuates the distillery’s zesty fruitiness, rather than completely change it. I have to say I find it extremely pleasant and fresh, and much nicer than the original Cù Bòcan. With water: muddy barley, hay, porridge, and grass. Mouth (neat): the peat feels more, and actually, this is peated whisky. The sherry’s very light. Smoked salmon and kippers, green apples, grapefruits, not too ripe papayas, pink grapefruits, a touch of mint. All rather very fine. With water: the zesty distillate is having the upper hand this time. Grapefruits and apples. Finish: long, zesty, citrusy, with some very moderate peat. Comments: it’s funny how the peat comes and goes, especially once you’ve added water. Another excellent Tomatin, although I enjoyed the ‘natural’ ones rather better. SGP:563 - 86 points.

(Thank you Angus, Jon, and Peter)

Check the index of all Tomatin I've tasted so far

Three joyful Tomatins. Perhaps four. Or five. Or six.

Three joyful Tomatins. Perhaps four.
Or five. Or six.