Tomintoul 16 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, 70 cl

Product Information

Nose: Very shy – allow it to rest for awhile in the glass to open up. Piney, like sawn pine branches. Tart apples and spicy anisette. Quite floral, although I can’t place the flower. Deep in the glass is a suggestion of white peaches and raw honey. Tomintoul is not only popular during the summer months but year-round. The Lecht Ski Centre attracts skiers and snowboarders while the ice-covered gorges attract winter climbers. Enter Tomintoul – the gentle dram. A whisky which you both see everywhere and yet is still somehow under the radar. A whisky which to my mind owes much of its composition to the distillery's history (and current) requirements for blending – and as such struggles to shine in our modern world. Taste: A par for the course 40% arrival – aiming purely to be ‘smooth’ and not necessarily to show off the distinctive character of the spirit itself. Vanilla flavoured cream alongside choux buns and oven-baked rolls – then a crisp and clean citrus with both peels and pith. The ex-bourbon casks come through in the development, offering gentle white pepper and toasted oak whilst marzipan and walnut nuttiness is supported by golden cereals and barley sugar. Thoughts: This does feel like a step-up from the 16-year-old although they are very much cut from the same cloth. The 21-year-old has that little bit of depth that only comes from a lengthy period in oak. There’s a tannic note that runs through the whole experience. The nose in particular is pleasantly complex though the palate can’t quite live up to its promise. Water opened things up a little but some weight and mouthfeel was lost as a result. A pleasant if somewhat predictable example of a mature Speyside.

Using quality ingredients is key to making a great dram and at Tomintoul Distillery they have access to the freshest barley and some of the purist water. This gives their malt a tell-tale smoothness and a mellow character. It is often described as easy to enjoy, making Tomintoul malt perfect for those just discovering whisky. Unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise, your use of and membership to the Service are exclusively governed by Dutch law. We shall first try to settle any dispute over a dram of whisky. Disputes that cannot be settled over multiple drams of whisky shall be solely submitted to the court of Amsterdam, The Netherlands unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise. Thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised. In the past I’ve found Tomintoul to be a little lightweight and inoffensive. However, whilst this certainly isn’t the most robust dram I’ve ever come across, it’s more fully flavoured than I was anticipating. Maybe not the most complex but a nice, straight-forward single malt that’s perfectly poised between spirit and oak. Tomintoul and Glenlivet". Cairngorms National Park Authority. 18 May 2018 . Retrieved 9 December 2019. I’ve previously reviewed the Tomintoul 10-year-old here, the Peaty Tang here and Old Ballantruan here.

I mean sure, if you want the status symbol of an old single malt to show off to your friends whilst still having an easy drinking, sessionable whisky, Tomintoul fits the bill. I suspect, however, that many consumers nowadays would prefer something a little more characterful, a little more intense and they wouldn’t particularly care if that meant buying a much younger whisky. We may sell, license, transfer, assign or in any other way dispose of the Service (including Members) to any third party without any notification to you, e.g. (but without limitation) in connection with any reorganization, restructuring, merger or sale, or other transfer of assets. Whiskybase B.V. is the Dutch private limited liability company, having its statutory seat in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and its office at Zwaanshals 530, 3035 KS Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Whiskybase B.V. is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under no. 52072819. With Water: A few drops of water brings more of that white peach to the front, along with green tea. Alas, it seems to drown out the other notes. The water also makes the palate thinner and even more watery, perhaps even bland. If you use water, use it sparingly. Ash, Russell (1973). Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain. Reader's Digest Association Limited. p.466. ISBN 9780340165973.

Finish: Short to medium and quite malt focussed – oats, cereals, malt cake – alongside lemon rind and a tingle of pepperiness.If any provision of these Terms is held invalid, the remainder of the Terms shall continue in full force and effect. Over the last few years, the distillery has started to recognise that whisky enthusiasts are seeking more than just the gentle, straight-forward Tomintoul experience. Enter a range of sometimes inelegantly crafted ‘bolt on’s’: Tomintoul ‘with a peaty tang’, a small range of cask finishes and a handful of older, vintage expressions. Necessary diversification, but often without the justification and brand work required.