Tobermory 15 Year

The Vessel: It's curious, the Tobermory 15 bottle differs from their typical 10 year old. It's taller and slimmer, with the branding placed slightly differently. I'm uncertain about the reason for the alteration, but I don't dislike it. The container doesn't seem mass-produced, as its slight shape variations give it a handcrafted feel. This item resembles something a pirate captain would keep on his desk. The label indicates it's un-chill filtered, but makes no mention of Natural Color. I suspect it is naturally colored, as there would be no reason to alter the hue of something aged this long in a sherry cask, and I don't believe they add color to the 10 year old... but then again... Bowmore 15.... Regardless, I enjoy it. In the Glass: A deep amber/topaz shade. On the Nose: Dark rum-soaked raisins, leather, subtle chocolate notes, and fig pudding. Consider the intensely sweet, dark sherry and Christmas "good grief, how can this dessert be so dense?" type of treats, and you'll grasp the essence. Taste: The connection to the standard 10 year old is detectable, but it's evident this has received a different kind of refinement. The familiar coastal dryness found in the 10, that delightful dried sage quality, remains but is very much in the background. What you experience here is a profoundly sherried expression that strongly suggests, "Pair me with the festive log." I've encountered multiple opinions likening it to Raisinettes, and I concur. Dark fruit and milk chocolate are abundant; enveloped in Uncle Oloroso's embrace. The 46% ABV is a favorable bottling strength, aiding in the delivery of its complexity. To me, this rivals some of the sherry-dominant whiskies from Speyside; yet, it approaches from a distinct perspective... Less Highland character, more Island influence. I would definitely savor this one slowly. In my region, bottles of this are as uncommon as a compelling vampire film, so I'm uncertain about the likelihood of encountering it again. It was considerably pricier than other 15 year olds available (I believe I acquired it on sale for approximately $110), but that's primarily due to its rarity. Tobermory is a genuinely intriguing distillery, in my view. Even compared to other coastal and island distilleries, I haven't encountered anything quite like their unpeated expressions (Tobermory versus Ledaig), and this bottling is no exception. I'm eager to sample the new 12 year old release!

This is the second serving I bought at my local, high-end whiskey bar yesterday. I selected this one hoping it would complement my dinner: a decadent, baked macaroni & cheese bowl generously topped with smoked pork BBQ....I love it when a plan works out. The Tobermory 15 is a peated, sherry-aged single malt from the Isle of Mull. It's matured in Gonzalez Byass Oloroso sherry casks, is non-chill filtered, and has the characteristic Tobermory/LeDaig house strength of 46.3% ABV. That particular percentage is reportedly the same on nearly all of their whiskies, intended to help identify the distillery in blind tasting events/competitions. It's either deceptive or clever, depending on your perspective on whisky competitions, lol. In the glass, it's a worn penny, dark copper color that appears thick and oily, yet doesn't produce legs when swirled. It clung to the sides of the Glencairn glass. The aroma is raisins and smoke, cigar box, and honey, while also uncannily resembling liquified Kraft vanilla caramel candies. Strangely, the palate is different: after the smoke, there's spice cake, chocolate creme, and oak spice that truly dominate the sherry aspects. This is actually a positive development, in my opinion, as the aroma was excessively sweet. It was also quite drying, and the finish was long, spicy, and somewhat harsh. A lingering nuttiness complemented my meal pairing well. Overall, I'm certain the smoky cheese/BBQ food altered some of the whisky's profile, but they paired exceptionally well together. I might consider buying a full bottle at some point simply out of curiosity, and although I paid another significant price for this pour at the bar ($21), it was a great overall experience. I would definitely recommend this one. 4 stars. Cheers to you all.

One of my hidden gem distilleries (and one I have high expectations for now that it has emerged from its two-year closure for renovations), Tobermory is among my preferred non-peat bomb, non-sherry bomb single malts. It's easy to understand why: the nose is filled with complex notes of ripe strawberries, plums, rum raisins, sultanas, buttery toffee, marmalade, ginger candy, and abundant prunes. The sherry influence is evident, but it doesn't overshadow many of the essential Tobermory characteristics such as its delightful gingerbread cookie, tropical fruit, and white pepper notes. On the palate, there's dried grass, cooked nuts, tropical fruit, toffee, and a mild salty character. It's chewy and rich with a full mouthfeel. In the finish there's a white pepper heat with a very subdued pepper spice that combines with lingering notes of fruitcake, coconut cream, earthy honey, and sherry. It's savory, dries sharply, and lasts for ages.

While I expected a whisky with prominent floral and citrus notes, this was a definite surprise. The peat is the only thing holding it back from a perfect score. Notes of raisin and milk chocolate with a medium to full body. A bit of water helps it open up.

yellowish. Flat in aroma, some fruit and smoke. Salty and clearly Peaty in taste. Peat spreads pleasantly in the finish. Fruity acidity remains.

Pear aroma bursts forth immediately, a very fruity and sherry taste, a very short and flat finish, nice but not particularly interesting, no smoke at all despite many writing it was smoky, not a trace of smoke even a little