Tomatin 5 Years Old 2012 Cask #949 (UD – bottler)

UD - bottler bottled this Tomatin matured to 5 year old from 2012, drawn from cask 949 and bottled at 59.8%. Tomatin is the soft, fruity Highland malt of a distillery founded in 1897 near Inverness. Water comes from the Allt na Frithe, the burn of the deer, in the Monadhliath hills.

It was made in copper stills from unpeated barley, for a fruity, mellow make. A refill bourbon cask held it, keeping the fruit to the fore. At this age the spirit is fresh and fruity, apple and pear bright. Sherry wood suits the soft make, lending dried fruit and a nutty depth. The arrival of the Highland Railway in the 1890s made the distillery possible. It closed in 1906 and reopened in 1909, finding its feet over the following decades. The Antiquary blend came into the group through the blender J and W Hardie. Malt is bought in, the distillery's own floor maltings having closed in the 1980s.

At 59.8%, undiluted, it is deep and fruity. Pear, honey and a malty note, and ex-Bourbon oak gives vanilla and a light apple. It is fruity and soft, the fruit and oak well matched. The finish is rounded, honeyed and gentle. This is a gentle, fruity Highland single malt.