Tomatin 36 Years Old Cask #48 & 30142

This Tomatin, an official release, a 36 year old release from 1977, drawn from cask 48 & 30142 and bottled at 46%. A release of 798 bottles. Tomatin, founded in 1897 in the Highland village of the same name, was once Scotland's largest malt distillery. A very long fermentation, among the longest in Scotch, builds the fruity character.

Worked through onion stills for a light, fruity spirit, for the soft, fruity Highland make Tomatin is known for. Maturation in a sherry cask laid dried fruit over the fruit. At this great age the malt is full and mellow, the fruit deep and the oak soft. The unpeated spirit lets the wood and the fruit speak without smoke. Cold, clean water runs down to the distillery from the hills above. Under Japanese stewardship the focus turned from sheer volume to quality. The very long fermentation is central to the distillery's fruity character. The distillery sits beside the A9, the old road north to Inverness.

At 46% it is clean and fruity. A mellow, fruity character, and the Oloroso gives dried fruit and a toasted nuttiness. Beneath it run apple, pear and a soft spice. It closes soft, fruity and warm. This is Tomatin, the fruity Highland malt.