Tomatin 11 Years Old 2008 Cask #2199 (A.D. Rattray)

A.D. Rattray bottled this Tomatin matured to 11 year old from 2008, drawn from cask 2199 and bottled at 56.5%. 237 bottles in all. Founded in 1897 high in the Monadhliath hills, Tomatin makes a soft, fruity Highland single malt. Today it works twelve stills, having shifted from blend volume to single malt.

The spirit was distilled from unpeated malt in copper stills on Allt na Frithe water, giving the light, mellow spirit at its heart. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, with vanilla and a soft apple. Still young, the malt is fruity and mellow with a gentle spice. A patient maturation suits the soft, fruity Tomatin character. 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. Cu Bocan focuses on unusual cask finishes, from sherry to wine and beyond.

Bottled at a cask strength 56.5%, it is rich. Apple, pear and a soft honey, and the ex-Bourbon lends vanilla and a soft honey. 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.