Tomatin Limited Edition – Sherry Collection – Manzanilla Sherry Butts 10 Years Old 2014

An official Tomatin single malt, a 10 year old from 2014 and bottled at 46%. Set in the Highland hills south of Inverness, Tomatin has made single malt since 1897. 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 sherry cask wrapped the soft spirit in dried fruit and a nutty depth. 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. For most of its life the distillery rarely ran to its full capacity.

At 46% it is supple and fruity. Pear, honey and a malty note, and the Manzanilla adds a dry, saline, nutty edge. The mouthfeel is soft, the fruit carried on a mellow body. A long, honeyed finish carries a fruity lift. This is a gentle, fruity Highland single malt.