Tormore Legacy Casks 10 Years Old 2015

This official Tormore single malt matured to 10 year old from 2015, drawn from cask 2824 and bottled at 56.2%. A release of 240 bottles. Tormore was first built between 1958 and 1960 in the Spey valley near Grantown; its light malt long fed the Long John blend. Long a filler for the Long John and Ballantine's blends, Tormore was rarely seen as a single malt.

The spirit was made in copper stills whose purifiers keep the spirit light, for a light, nutty make of real clarity. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, gentle American oak beneath the fruit. Still young, the malt is light and nutty with a citrus lift. Years in oak round the spirit, the nut and orchard fruit deepening with age. The distillery doubled from four stills to eight in 1972, then settled back to four pairs. It has used wood chips from local forestry to fire its stills since 1984. For most of its life its spirit vanished quietly into blends rather than into bottles of its own.

At its natural 56.2% it is concentrated. Vanilla and a light cream from the barrel, with pear, almond and a citrus lift. The texture is light and slightly oily, the nut threaded through. Almond and a dry oak see out the finish. This is the malt of Speyside's white cathedral.