Tomatin Cuatro Series #3 "Oloroso" 12 Year

Okay, I didn't get the PX finished version (they didn't have it at the shop I visited) and I'll discuss it as I consume it. Otherwise, I'll focus on the Oloroso, and this will be a comparative review. Nose - The Oloroso is drier, with more sherry-influenced dark fruits and less of the grape/wine character. There's significantly less butterscotch and vanilla here. The Fino has butterscotch, vanilla, some dark fruits, and perhaps some grape/wine notes. As I swirl it, I begin to detect some oak, almost like buttered toast. The Manzanilla has vanilla notes but lacks the butterscotch. It's sweeter and offers much more overall aromatically, much more intense. The Fino might be the most complex, but the Oloroso is the most potent and, frankly, my favorite by far. Taste - Oloroso - more spice, perhaps spicier. Chocolate, dark fruits (waxy). I believe the finishing cask has a greater influence here. Fino - Spicy, with a nice vanilla note and some pleasant fino characteristics (I know, redundant). Some fruity elements, light fruits, but spicy. Manzanilla - sweet and oily, fruity, but no distinct finishing influence. I could believe this was just a Speyside, though it's a bit too fruit-forward and sweet, in my opinion, to not have some finishing. My initial observation is that these have improved dramatically since I first opened them; previously, I detected almost no finishing influence. That said, these still present as quite bourbon-forward, likely due to the use of fairly well-used casks for the secondary fill. Oloroso - Overall, this is an interesting spirit to drink. However, it's not really to my personal taste. 12 years feels a bit young for this one. I think a more pronounced finishing would greatly benefit it, especially at only 12 years old. That said, I'm still quite pleased with it. At over $60, I wouldn't recommend it unless you're doing a comparative tasting like this. This is a bottle that won't be finished this year, perhaps not even next. You'll notice I wrote the same thing about the Fino. It's a bit too spicy and bitter for my usual preferences.

To be honest so far I've been slightly disappointed with the cuatro series. The ratings are very high and from what I've tasted they are just pretty average, lighter on the finish. The fino I gave a charitable 3.75 and this I'd say the same. It has no obvious flaws, is well balanced, nice mouth feel but the flavors are weaker allowing ethanol to be the predominant flavor of the aftertaste...like its fino brother it's not that exciting. Mild toffee yadah yadah. I think all the great drams I've had recently have ruined the tasting experience of all the average stuff which follows.

Smooth. Dates!!! Raisins. Nutty. A very nutty finish. I first tried it in Edinburgh. Found a bottle in Greenville, SC. Trying to make it last... 4.5

Sampled at an event. Quite good. Date: 2/18/17

Aged in 2017, bottled in December 2007.