Tobermory 9 Years Old 2013 Cask #9664 (The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd.)

The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd selected this Tobermory, a 9 year old from 2013, drawn from cask 9664 and bottled at 54%. 240 bottles in all. Tobermory is the fruity, unpeated side of the only distillery on the Isle of Mull. The distillery was founded in 1798 by John Sinclair, a local kelp merchant, as the Ledaig distillery.

The spirit was made in the high reflux stills from unpeated barley, for a fruity, waxy make with a green lift. A sherry cask wrapped the waxy spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Still young, it is fruity and oily with a nutty edge. Sherry wood suits the oily make, lending dried fruit and a nutty depth. Water is drawn from a private hill loch, the Gearr Abhainn, above the town. Its painted home town gives the unpeated malt its name. A rare, more heavily peated make has appeared under the name Iona, after a neighbouring isle. In dry summers the distillery has paused when its hill loch ran low.

At its natural 54% it is concentrated. Pear, oily malt and a green note, and the Madeira lends raisin and a caramelised nuttiness. Soft orchard fruit and wax sit behind the cask. It closes long, waxy and fruity. This is the fruity side of the Isle of Mull's distillery.