Tormore 35 Years Old 1988 (SMWS 105.55)

A Tormore single malt, selected and bottled by Scotch Malt Whisky Society matured to 35 year old from 1988, drawn from cask 105.55 and bottled at 42%. The outturn was 124 bottles. Set in Speyside, near the Cairngorms, Tormore has distilled since 1960. The granite buildings carry copper roofs and a musical clock that plays four Scottish songs each quarter hour.

Distilled on soft Speyside water through purifier stills, building the firm, clean Tormore style. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, lending honey and vanilla. Decades leave it deep and oily, nut and dried fruit with great age. Most Tormore matures off site, much of it in refill ex-Bourbon. Tormore is cleaner than the waxy Clynelish, with more weight than the lightest Speysiders. The new owners released a Blueprint Series of 10 year olds in 2025 ahead of a full range. Its rise in 1958 broke a long pause in distillery building that had lasted decades.

At an easy 42% it is gentle. Apple, citrus and a soft almond meet honeyed oak sweetness underneath. The mouthfeel is light, the fruit carried on a nutty body. A long, nutty finish carries a citrus lift. This is a clean, citrussy Speyside single malt.