Tomatin 14 Years Old 2008 (Phil & Simon Thompson)

Bottled by Phil & Simon Thompson, this Tomatin, a 14 year old from 2008 and bottled at 50%. 490 bottles in all. Set in the Highland hills south of Inverness, Tomatin has made single malt since 1897. Tomatin malt long fed blends such as The Antiquary and The Talisman.

It was run through the distillery's onion stills after a long fermentation, to build a fruity, gently spiced character. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak for a honeyed sweetness. Past a decade the fruit deepens into honey, apple and a soft spice. The long fermentation lays down the fruit the cask then frames. 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. Tomatin stands at over three hundred metres, among the highest in the land. An old cattle drovers' road ran through Tomatin, and whisky was made here long before the distillery.

At a hearty 50% it carries real weight. Orchard fruit and a gentle malt, and the oak lends vanilla and a soft sweetness. A baked apple and a gentle spice lift it. It finishes soft, fruity and clean. This is Tomatin's soft, fruity Highland style.