Tomatin 14 Year Port Casks

Nose: Fresh barley, crisp malt, juicy grapes, red berries, apples, lively oak cask, and a faint hint of cinnamon. The port cask influence is subtle yet effective. The nose is quite appealing neat, and a touch of water softens the port notes, allowing the malt character and some honey to emerge. Palate: A sweet, oily entry dominated by orchard fruits and berries. Sweeter fruits develop, accompanied by pepper, ginger, and cinnamon spices, along with crisp tannins from the cask manifesting as walnuts and bitter chocolate. A hot butterscotch or honeycomb flavor is also present. Water significantly improves this dram, reducing the heat and creating a velvety, mouth-coating texture. Enough ginger remains, so adding water is recommended. Finish: Medium/long. Fruit and wine flavors transition into hot ginger with mild astringency. With water, the finish is similar but slightly toned down. This is a fine example of port maturation, where the port casks enhance and mellow the distillery character without overpowering the whisky with wine flavors. Vinous notes are present but serve to add color and character rather than dominate. The bourbon casks remain evident. The nose offers a classic whisky profile with a hint of wine for depth. The palate balances sweet and spicy/bitter notes, emphasized by grape tones. The finish is a bit hot but very satisfying. Excellent Tomatin, a distillery that can be inconsistent but shines when at its best. A great warming whisky for winter. "Good": 84/100 (3.75 stars)

This 14-year-old Tomatin, aged in Port Casks, is a surprising expression that I had never heard of or seen before trying it at a Scottish bar in Edinburgh. Bottled at 46% ABV, it was partially aged in bourbon casks and finished in tawny port pipes. On the nose, abundant red fruits, caramelized apples, cherry syrup. A second sip revealed a very citric flavor like grapefruit and starfruit. On the palate, it was very sweet, akin to an excessive amount of cherry syrup. Then it shifts to a pleasant acidity similar to a cabernet sauvignon wine. It is somewhat rough. A second sip yielded honey for a moment, and coconut. Aftertaste has a pleasant burnt hay with some burnt tobacco notes. It resembles an ashy / peaty finish that appeared unexpectedly. Nice. Overall, this dram might not be the most memorable ever, but it is far from bad or unpleasant. I would typically choose any other dram over this if given the option, but I would readily drink it if offered a glass on any occasion. My rating for it is a fair 84 out of 100.

The smell is mainly wine-like, clearly Port: prunes, walnuts, red berries, orange zest. Malt character, like butter biscuits, is quite noticeable, later it reveals warm notes of vanilla, caramel, a hint of nutmeg, and a subtle herbal base, all in balance and delicate. The palate is rather dry and intense, with chili and spices that cover dark chocolate, ripe fruit (apricots, apples, red berries), hazelnuts, candied orange, and malt. A whisper of anise and wood in the background. A delicate equilibrium that holds. Medium-long ending, with chili pepper, hazelnuts, orange zest, wood. Teetering on the edge, you anticipate it will fail at any moment, yet it does not. The influence of Portuguese wine casks is nearly too much, well-matched by the whisky's body, but it highlights how challenging this pairing continues to be.

A close friend received three bottles of whisky for his birthday. A Japanese one, a Bulleit Bourbon, and a Tomatin Single Malt. As he wanted to share some drinks, we decided to have a small tasting. This 14-year-old Port Finished Tomatin was our third drink, and as I anticipated, the best one of the lineup. The nose was sweet, slightly nutty, but fruity, evolving to a sweeter, spicier palate. The port influence was evident, but not overly dominant. The aftertaste was moderate; where it lacked a bit in wine notes, it gained some dry oakiness. While I probably wouldn't purchase my own bottle, my friend and I both agreed this was the best drink of the lineup.

Alright. I'm prepared to offer my assessment. I had hoped this whiskey would improve with time, but unfortunately, after 8 weeks and with the bottle now less than half full, it still possesses an alcoholic burn characteristic of a younger spirit, in the 6 to 8 year range. This is supposedly 14 years old, but I'm not detecting any mellowness typically associated with a 14-year-old whiskey. I recently acquired and opened a bottle of another brand's port-finished expression, and it is significantly better than this disappointing offering! I'm now viewing most of this distillery's products as underwhelming, though perhaps offering good value. You can decide what that means for you. I won't be purchasing much from this distillery again. However, I do like the bottle's appearance.

The aroma is intensely sweet, evoking the smell of unwashed hands after picking sweet red grapes for hours. A strong blackcurrant scent emerges after some time in the glass. The palate begins with sweetness and develops nicely, presenting a creamy texture and spicy notes reminiscent of baked plum cake. A second tasting revealed a baked caramel note. The finish is medium to long, with dark fruits, coffee with milk, and a subtle oaky spice. 82/100 WBR