Tomatin 22 Years Old 1962 Dumpy Bottle (Cadenhead’s)

Cadenhead's bottled this Tomatin, a 22 year old release from 1962 and bottled at 46%. Tomatin is the soft, fruity Highland malt of a distillery founded in 1897 near Inverness. By 1974 Tomatin ran twenty three stills and was the largest malt distillery in Scotland.

It was made in copper stills from unpeated barley, for a fruity, mellow make. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla beneath the orchard fruit. Long ageing brings a deeper dried fruit character and a soft oak spice. Sherry wood suits the soft make, lending dried fruit and a nutty depth. The arrival of the Highland Railway in the 1890s made the distillery possible. It closed in 1906 and reopened in 1909, finding its feet over the following decades. The Antiquary blend came into the group through the blender J and W Hardie. Malt is bought in, the distillery's own floor maltings having closed in the 1980s. For most of its life the distillery rarely ran to its full capacity.

At 46% it is smooth and fruity. Pear, honey and a malty note, and the refill bourbon lends a quiet vanilla. The mouthfeel is soft, the fruit carried on a mellow body. A long, honeyed finish carries a fruity lift. This is a gentle, fruity Highland single malt.