Tomatin Limited Release – Batch 1 25 Years Old 1988

This Tomatin, an official release, aged 25 year old from 1988 and bottled at 46%. Only 2500 bottles were released. Tomatin, founded in 1897 in the Highland village of the same name, was once Scotland's largest malt distillery. It was bought in 1986 by Takara Shuzo of Japan, the first Scotch distillery in Japanese hands.

Distilled slowly for the soft, fruity Tomatin make, building the approachable Tomatin style. A wine cask held it, layering fruit over the fruity malt. Beyond twenty years the malt grows deep and honeyed, dried fruit and oak spice over orchard fruit. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the fruity, malty core over time. Cold, clean water runs down to the distillery from the hills above. 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.

At an approachable 46% it is soft and balanced. Apple, vanilla and a light spice, and the Port cask adds plum and red berry. Beneath it run apple, pear and a soft spice. It closes soft, fruity and warm. This is Tomatin, the fruity Highland malt.