Tomatin Distillery Exclusive – Single Cask 15 Years Old 2010

A distillery bottling of Tomatin, a 15 year old from 2010, drawn from cask 50224 and bottled at 58.5%. Tomatin, founded in 1897 in the Highland village of the same name, was once Scotland's largest malt distillery. Tomatin malt long fed blends such as The Antiquary and The Talisman.

It was made in copper stills from unpeated barley, for a fruity, mellow make. Maturation in a sherry cask laid dried fruit over the fruit. Mid age brings a deeper honey and a riper orchard fruit. Dunnage and racked warehousing on site gives a steady maturation. Malt is bought in, the distillery's own floor maltings having closed in the 1980s. For most of its life the distillery rarely ran to its full capacity. 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.

Undiluted at 58.5%, it is layered. Pear, honey and a malty note, and the Oloroso brings dried fruit, fig and a nutty depth. 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.