Tormore 16 Years Old 1990 Cask #0149/1966 (The Clydesdale Original)

Single malt Tormore, an independent The Clydesdale Original bottling matured to 16 year old from 1990, drawn from cask 0149/1966 and bottled at 65.9%. The outturn was 221 bottles. Set in the Spey valley near Grantown, Tormore has distilled since 1960. 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. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, with vanilla under the orchard fruit. Around the mid teens the malt gains a fuller nutty depth over the citrus. Years in oak round the spirit, the nut and orchard fruit deepening with age. The new owners released a Blueprint Series of 10 year olds in 2025 ahead of a full range. Its rise in 1958 broke a long pause in distillery building that had lasted decades. The architect Sir Albert Richardson gave it a grand, ornamental design unlike any other distillery.

At a hearty 65.9% it carries real weight. Vanilla and a light cream from the barrel runs under green apple, nut and a soft spice. Beneath it run almond, apple and a soft spice. It closes clean, nutty and dry. This is a light, almond edged Speyside single malt.