Tomatin Single Cask #25605 33 Years Old 1973 (Ex-Bourbon)

A distillery bottling of Tomatin, aged 33 year old from 1973, drawn from cask 25605 and bottled at 46%. Only 133 bottles were released. Tomatin, founded in 1897 in the Highland village of the same name, was once Scotland's largest malt distillery. The core is unpeated, with peated spirit made one week a year and bottled as Cu Bocan.

The spirit was made in copper stills from unpeated barley, for a fruity, mellow make. A refill bourbon cask held it, keeping the fruit to the fore. At over thirty years it is rich and mellow, tropical fruit, honey and old oak. Dunnage and racked warehousing on site gives a steady maturation. 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. The make is light and fruity, easy to like and easy to drink.

At 46% it is clean and fruity. Pear, honey and a malty note, and the bourbon cask adds vanilla and a gentle 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.