Tomatin Portuguese Collection – Madeira Casks 15 Years Old 2006

This Tomatin, an official release, a 15 year old Highland malt from 2006 and bottled at 46%. Tomatin is a Highland single malt distilled in the hills south of Inverness, where the distillery was founded in 1897. It was bought in 1986 by Takara Shuzo of Japan, the first Scotch distillery in Japanese hands.

Worked through onion stills for a light, fruity spirit, for the soft, fruity Highland make Tomatin is known for. A sherry cask wrapped the soft spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. By this age the soft spirit rounds into orchard fruit and a gentle oak. The unpeated spirit lets the wood and the fruit speak without smoke. The make is light and fruity, easy to like and easy to drink. Special releases like Decades and Warehouse 6 have marked the distillery's milestones. Cold, clean water runs down to the distillery from the hills above. Under Japanese stewardship the focus turned from sheer volume to quality.

Bottled at 46%, it is rounded. A mellow, fruity character, and the Madeira lends raisin and a caramelised nuttiness. Beneath it run apple, pear and a soft spice. It closes soft, fruity and warm. This is Tomatin, the fruity Highland malt.