I’m a fan of Tomatin.
I debuted at Malt with a evaluation of Tomatin Whisky Meets Sherry that is still my benchmark dram. I’ve reviewed the cracking entry stage Legacy, distillery exclusives and, extra just lately, the nice worth Contrasts launch. I’ll definitely evaluation extra of their vary over time.
I’ve additionally tasted plenty of dreadful unbiased bottlings, usually overlong in ending casks, the place the Tomatin spirit has been bludgeoned to demise. Nonetheless, indie bottlings in bourbon are sometimes nice; their solely problem is assembly the worth level delivered by the model. Tomatin may be good at 40% ABV, higher at 43%, and completely sings at 46%; I don’t consider it wants a cask power presentation. All of this performs into Tomatin being one of many few distilleries the place the official bottlings are my choice over unbiased releases.
Being a giant fan additionally usually ends in being a critic, too. I keep away from the Cu Bocan peated vary, for instance. However there may be greater than the whisky to like about this borderline Speysider; “borderline” as a result of Tomatin’s regionality is determined by SWA by the Scotch Whisky Laws 2009. The road was drawn maybe unfavourably for Tomatin, whose character is nearer to the extra strong Speysiders and extra light and fruitier than the punchier Highland drams inside which area they’re designated.
You may argue that Tomatin is nearer to Speyside than Speyside distillery itself. You may additionally say all Speysiders are Highland drams, in that Speyside is a sub-region of the Highlands, so it doesn’t matter (therefore Macallan nonetheless proclaims to be a Highland dram). You may additionally say that regionality is pointless anyway for something apart from advertising and marketing, as there isn’t a actual frequent attribute between areas past maybe Islay peat, and even then it’s not all the time true. However it doesn’t matter what your place, there’s a uniqueness to Tomatin which is pleasant.
Tomatin have just lately wielded the advertising and marketing instruments extra closely than in instances passed by. The ‘below the radar’ distillery is definitely taking a extra distinguished place. International Model Ambassador Scott Adamson has labored onerous to construct relationships and is commonly to be discovered turning up on attention-grabbing blogs and podcasts selling the model.
The French Assortment, launched in 2021, was supported by a shiny immersive video for every of the wine finishes within the vary. The marketing campaign was slick, shiny, very modern. Maybe most significantly, Scott Adamson defined on the time to Malt that there stays a deal with creating nice worth to shoppers, by releasing giant outturns of restricted editions at a value which makes them accessible for many followers, which needs to be celebrated within the face of spiralling costs.
That ethos has carried over into 2022, which brings the 125th anniversary of the inspiration of the distillery. To mark the passing of this milestone yr the distillery of this milestone yr the distillery commissioned Emily Hogarth an Edinburgh based mostly illustrator and papercut artist to provide an art work (extra particulars right here) which was then used to embellish the Tomatin 12 yr outdated packing containers. This strategy flies within the face of the elitist campaigns of different huge manufacturers, the place the particular releases are so unique as to be unobtainable for the whisky drinkers who preserve the model turning over yr on yr. Macallan and Peter Blake spring to thoughts, however little question readers can add to that listing.
Additionally in 2022, Tomatin launched the “To What Issues” marketing campaign lead, by Made Courageous PR (whose purchasers embody, Diageo, Edrington William Grant & Sons, Distell and Beam Suntory). It needs to be no shock that the marketing campaign is slick. Additionally it is fairly summary, which is wise in that it permits the patron to undertaking their very own values onto the final story and determine for themselves “what issues.”
There’s a tear-jerking promoting video of a younger Scottish lassie recalling what issues at her grandfather’s funeral. It accommodates a complicated snippet the place grandfather pours a wholesome quantity of Tomatin 12 into the river. I assume it is a custom in river fishing communities? There was a press launch which you’ll perhaps have seen rolled out in different magazines and extra basic spirit press. On the Tomatin web site, the transient blurb focusses on relationships and social interplay. With the post-COVID return to normality, it’s an thought I can get behind.
For this text “what issues” is that Made Courageous despatched Malt a present which ended up in my palms. It turned out to be a slightly charming hip flask – not the precise one from the tear-jerking video, however the same one – and a miniature of Tomatin 12 yr outdated. That was slightly properly timed, as I had simply opened a Nineties bottle of Tomatin 12 yr outdated and it allowed me to do a facet by facet evaluation for our readers, and in addition offered me with somewhat bit of fabric for a preamble to this evaluation… so, thanks Tomatin.
Tomatin 12 Yr Previous (Nineties launch) – Assessment
40% ABV. Roughly £35 at public sale.
Color: Amber.
On the nostril: An enormous busty of contemporary juicy pink apples, pressed apple juice, brown sugar, vanilla fudge, spiced apple sponge, pineapple fronds, a pleasant malty oak spice.
Within the mouth: Crimson apples, pink currants, a pleasant oaky mid-palate, malty and somewhat spicy towards the end, mint chocolate too. The end is sort of brief but additionally brings in an attention-grabbing fruity funk.
Conclusions:
The nostril is good however there may be not a lot growth within the mouth. I’d guess it is a mixture of sherry and bourbon casks, just like the present 12 yr outdated, however right here the whisky is tender and has very properly built-in flavours which delivers somewhat extra sophistication than the present bottle.
Rating: 5/10
Tomatin 12 Yr Previous (present bottling) – Assessment
Bourbon and Sherry Casks. 43% ABV. £36 to £45 at retail.
Color: Heat gold
On the nostril: Baked apples, caramel, fruity toffee, bread and butter pudding, vanilla sponge, a bit extra juicy fruit growing, biscuity shortcake, fudge donuts, marginally extra spirity and positively spicier than the outdated 12 yr outdated.
Within the mouth: Malty, oaky, very bourbon ahead, truly my most quantity of bourbon cask, then sherry sweetness arrives, bringing butter popcorn, fudgy traybake, charred sugar, toasted marshmallows, darker fruits like raisings after which baking spices and feeling somewhat uncooked.
Conclusions:
Fairly a contemporary whisky type; somewhat compelled; whisky by the numbers, hitting a value level and a spot within the vary. There are little question there are various whisky drinkers who will rating this extra extremely, however for me the elements are competing with one another slightly than complimenting one another. I actually anticipated to like this, however I’d select the Legacy over this expression and save myself £10.
