Tormore Speyside Sunshine (The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd.)

This Tormore was from the independent bottler The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd, drawn from cask 9072 and bottled at 59.5%. Just 330 bottles were filled. Tormore was founded in 1958 on the A95 in the heart of Speyside; it is a listed building, the white cathedral of Speyside. The granite buildings carry copper roofs and a musical clock that plays four Scottish songs each quarter hour.

Distilled in swan neck stills fitted with purifiers, on soft Achvochkie Burn water, giving the structured, nutty Speyside spirit. A wine cask shaped it, the fruit meeting the clean, nutty spirit. Carrying no age, it leans on almond, apple and a clean malt. Years in oak round the spirit, the nut and orchard fruit deepening with age. Elixir Distillers bought Tormore in 2022 and are reviving it as a single malt brand. Most of the spirit matures off site, much of it in refill ex-Bourbon wood.

At a natural 59.5% it is full and nutty. The Rum cask brings brown sugar and a tropical lift, and the refill oak lending honey and vanilla, with almond, apple and a clean citrus. A green apple and a citrus note lift it. The close is clean, nut over orchard fruit. This is a Speysider from the white cathedral of the Spey.