Tomatin 21 Year (Limited Edition)

Interesting, an unrated submission. Fortunately for the distillery, I have the sample to review. It's quite good even without dilution. Notes of toffee, vanilla, caramel, a whisper of sherry, and toasted oak are present. Even when diluted considerably, it retains a bit of a sting for its proof, but this doesn't significantly diminish the excellent cask influence. Oddly, the 14-year expression I tried previously had a similar characteristic, despite being only 46% ABV, it was still quite intense. The port cask influence couldn't quite keep up. Based on these two experiences, their cask management seems excellent, though I'm uncertain about the base spirit itself. Does anyone know why some spirits feel much stronger than others at the same proof? For instance, two drinks with identical ABV can feel vastly different in intensity. Regardless, I'm increasingly enjoying this, and I now grasp why a friend is fond of this label. I regret not adding water to the 14-year port sample to observe its development, but frequently, I find such spirits diminish significantly when diluted, so I held back. Returning to this whiskey, I'd rate it a 4.25, perhaps 4.5. A very pleasant pour.

A pleasant dram; it certainly doesn't present as a 52% ABV spirit, being smooth and sweet, easy to enjoy, but I'd say it falls short of the 18-year-old version. On the nose, it has notes of hairspray or "gel", coffee, hazelnut, and toffee. A bit basic, but it works. On the palate, it begins with brown sugar before transforming into a pepper bomb, quite potent and also very oaky. The finish is brief, which isn't ideal for a 52% ABV spirit that's 21 years old. Overall, this is an easily enjoyable dram; 85 out of 100 is a fair rating.