Tomatin French Collection – Sauternes Casks 12 Years Old 2008

A distillery bottling of Tomatin matured to 12 year old from 2008 and bottled at 46%. The outturn was 6000 bottles. Founded in 1897 high in the Monadhliath hills, Tomatin makes a soft, fruity Highland single malt. 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. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, soft oak that lets the fruit lead. By this age the soft spirit rounds into orchard fruit and a gentle oak. Dunnage and racked warehousing on site gives a steady maturation. Under Japanese stewardship the focus turned from sheer volume to quality. 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.

At 46% it is supple and fruity. Pear, honey and a malty note, and the oak lends vanilla and a soft sweetness. A dried fruit and a soft oak give it depth. Apple, honey and a soft oak see out the finish. This is a mellow Highland single malt from near Inverness.