Tomatin 12 Year Bourbon & Sherry Casks

Nose: Cooked apples, juice from squeezed apples that's beginning to brown, butterscotch, brown sugar, vanilla, banana, and caramel. It offers a rich aroma immediately but doesn't change over time in the glass. Palate: The initial taste is briefly sweet, then quickly develops significant heat with some harsh, grainy cereal and cask flavors. It's drying, and a bitter grapefruit note appears later on the palate, likely due to tannin from subpar sherry casks. The texture is pleasant with an oiliness, but it's overshadowed by the sharp flavors. Finish: Medium. Fruity, but overwhelmed by bitter tannin. Apples are consistently present. The nose is full and buttery with a hint of mango, and it's better than the palate, which is hot, harsh, and almost aggressive (when drunk neat). Adding a little water calms the palate and brings out ginger and chili notes instead of direct tannic heat, but it doesn't achieve greatness and, like the nose, doesn't develop over time. If the neat palate matched the nose, I'd score this higher, but as it is, it's just average, which is disappointing. I've had much better from Tomatin. Tasted from a 50ml distillery sample. "Average": 77/100 (2.5 stars)

Nose: Pleasant but ordinary—gentle caramel, dried fruit, and a whisper of vanilla. The sherry's presence is subtle, offering just a hint of raisins and oak. Palate: Smooth and easy to drink, with light honey, toffee, and a touch of spice. The texture is thin and lacks substance, and neither the bourbon nor the sherry casks leave a distinct mark. Finish: Brief and unmemorable. A faint warmth remains, but there's no complexity or development—just a gentle fading into mild oak and sweetness. Conclusion: Unremarkably dull. While perfectly drinkable, the Tomatin 12 lacks subtlety and character. It's a safe, agreeable dram, but nothing about it stands out. Seek elsewhere if you desire depth or excitement. Score: 3.5/5

This second tasting is from a nearly empty bottle. Letting it breathe opens up the profile and smooths out the bourbon finish. A Scotch that matures like fine Scotch. The nose is a floral bouquet wrapped in leather with caramel. This bottle is over a year old and still bursting with flavor. The palate is rich and full. A nice dram to savor. Candied Apples drizzled in toffee and some vanilla. The finish has some chili and more toffee. It's short, with the chili lingering for a medium duration. I enjoy most of Tomatin's selections. The 12-year-old, in my opinion, is one of the best for the price, with a very popular profile. Unfortunately, the price has increased significantly since the pandemic.

The aroma is enjoyable, with stone fruit, almost a little grassy, quite fragrant that evolves as it sits, not unfavorably. The palate is fruity and woody; it arrives a bit more assertively than the Legacy, which is extremely smooth, but again, that's not a negative. After the sip, butterscotch appears in the aroma, which was unexpected and pleasant. There’s a woodiness and slight sweetness for a short duration, then the pleasant taste disappears quite quickly, completely. Thus, requiring another taste. It's good, but I prefer the Legacy.

Sampled this Highland scotch straight in the evening at 43% alcohol. It's chill-filtered and contains added artificial coloring. The aroma presents sweetness with honey and perhaps some dates in the background. It smells like a type of honey toffee confection. I also detect a trace of apricots. The initial taste is sweet, intensified by the alcohol's warmth. The sherry cask influence is present but not overpowering. The finish is of moderate length but feels insubstantial.

Having this after a brewery excursion, so my palate is definitely affected. Nose: honey, milky caramel, a hint of maple. Stewed fruit, poached/candied red apple. Hint of wood varnish. Palate: orchard fruit, caramel, mild earthy sherry elements. A hint of green apple bite. Some chewy sweet malt. Sweet lemon zest as it transitions to the finish. Finish: definitely getting the buttery element here. Slightly waxy. Mild tannins.