Tomintoul 16 - 40%
Distillery notes:
Multi-award winning Tomintoul Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 16 Years has been lovingly crafted, from a selection of the finest bourbon casks, each aged for at least sixteen years.
Colour: Amber gold
Nose: Creamy and soft with aromas of heather honey, soft nougat, vanilla fudge and toasted brioche with lemon zest highlights.
Palate: Nutty and well-rounded with notes of creme brulee and boiled sweets mingled with touches of mocha and amoretti biscuits.
Finish: Mellow and warming with notes of shortbread, cinnamon icing and brittle toffee lingering on the tongue.
Appearance: Old gold, forms a thin line which beads before falling as slow, thick legs.
Nose: Hot buttered toast with honey, lemon zest and sweet almond nougat.
Palate: Soft and slightly thin on the palate, crème caramel with almond biscotti, barley sugars, jam tarts in shortcrust pastry, and mochaccino coffee.
Finish: Barley sugars, vanilla caramel toffee and toasted almonds, cinnamon brings a little warmth and adds depth.
Summary: A notable step up from the 10 year old offering in terms of depth and complexity. The mocha note in the palate mingling with the jammier fruit notes and almond nuttiness makes for a lovely combination and is all balanced perfectly. Add that pleasant cinnamon warmth and it's a very enjoyable experience.
Current price is around £50, so well positioned for a 16 year old whisky although I would like to see this at an abv higher than the current 40% presentation. The only real letdown is the rather thin mouthfeel which may well be a symptom of chill-filtration.
Gentle, refined and flavoursome...but I can't help feeling a few tweaks could really elevate this into something special.
If you would like to know more about Tomintoul whiskies, and the Tomintoul distillery, follow the link to the company website.
Transparency: this sample pack and tasting session was by invitation of Angus Dundee Distillers plc. The author has no affiliation with the company, all opinions are my own and remain completely impartial.
