Tormore Legacy Casks 22 Years Old 2003

An official Tormore single malt, a 22 year old from 2003, drawn from cask 647 and bottled at 48.4%. Just 226 bottles were filled. Tormore was opened in 1960 in Speyside, near the Cairngorms, and it is now owned by Elixir Distillers. 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. Ex-Bourbon casks held it, soft oak that lets the nut and fruit lead. Long ageing brings a deeper nutty, dried fruit character and a mellow oak. The light, ester rich make takes cask character well across maturation. The distillery doubled from four stills to eight in 1972, then settled back to four pairs. It has used wood chips from local forestry to fire its stills since 1984. For most of its life its spirit vanished quietly into blends rather than into bottles of its own.

At a full 48.4% it is intense yet nutty. Apple, citrus and a soft almond meet honeyed oak sweetness underneath. Soft orchard fruit and nut sit behind the sweetness. It closes clean, nutty and dry. This is a clean, citrussy Speyside single malt.