Tomatin 2011 3W (3006 Whisky (3W))

Bottled by 3006 Whisky (3W), this Tomatin, a 12 year old Highland malt from 2011, drawn from cask 125 and bottled at 54.7%. A release of 55 bottles. Tomatin is a Highland single malt distilled in the hills south of Inverness, where the distillery was founded in 1897. It was bought in 1986 by Takara Shuzo of Japan, the first Scotch distillery in Japanese hands.

Worked through onion stills for a light, fruity spirit, for the soft, fruity Highland make Tomatin is known for. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanilla beneath the orchard fruit. Around the mid teens the malt gains a fuller honey and ripe fruit. The unpeated spirit lets the wood and the fruit speak without smoke. The make is light and fruity, easy to like and easy to drink. Special releases like Decades and Warehouse 6 have marked the distillery's milestones. Cold, clean water runs down to the distillery from the hills above.

At a natural 54.7% it is full and fruity. A mellow, fruity character, and honeyed vanilla comes through from the ex-Bourbon. Soft orchard fruit and honey sit behind the cask. The close is soft, fruit over gentle oak. This is Tomatin's soft, fruity Highland style.