Tomatin 11 Years Old TSCL (The Single Cask Ltd.)

A Tomatin single malt, selected and bottled by The Single Cask Ltd, aged 11 year old, drawn from cask 5777C and bottled at 55.2%. 70 bottles in all. Tomatin is a Highland single malt distilled in the hills south of Inverness, where the distillery was founded in 1897. The distillery was founded in 1897 by a local company, taking its name from the village, Gaelic for hill of the juniper.

The spirit was distilled from unpeated malt in copper stills on Allt na Frithe water, giving the light, mellow spirit at its heart. Maturation in a sherry cask laid dried fruit over the fruit. At this age the spirit is fresh and fruity, apple and pear bright. Years in oak round the spirit, the orchard fruit deepening with age. Cold, clean water runs down to the distillery from the hills above. Under Japanese stewardship the focus turned from sheer volume to quality. The very long fermentation is central to the distillery's fruity character.

At cask strength 55.2% it is full bodied. Apple, pear and a soft honey, and the Oloroso lends raisin, walnut and a dried fruit richness. The texture is soft and round, the fruit lifted by honey. The finish runs gentle, fruity and mellow. This is a soft, approachable Highland malt.