Tomatin 50 Year Old Black 50 Years Old 1967

A distillery bottling of Tomatin, a 50 year old Highland malt from 1967, drawn from cask 30258 and bottled at 46%. A release of 88 bottles. Set in the Highland hills south of Inverness, Tomatin has made single malt since 1897. It was bought in 1986 by Takara Shuzo of Japan, the first Scotch distillery in Japanese hands.

Distilled from unpeated malt in copper stills on Allt na Frithe water, giving the light, mellow spirit at its heart. A sherry cask wrapped the soft spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. At over thirty years it is rich and mellow, tropical fruit, honey and old oak. Years in oak round the spirit, the orchard fruit deepening with age. 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 46% it is gentle, fruity and mellow. Apple, pear and a soft honey, and raisin and a nutty sherry depth build. It is fruity and soft, the fruit and oak well matched. The finish is rounded, honeyed and gentle. This is a soft, approachable Highland malt.