Tomatin Cuatro Series #4 "Pedro Ximenez" 12 Year

I'm surprised I'm the first to review this excellent whisky from Tomatin! I missed the opportunity to purchase it in Chicago, but sometimes life (and less competitive spirits markets) offers a second chance. I found a bottle in Madison for under $50 and immediately bought it – and I'm happy I did. This is to Tomatin (and the rest of the Cuatro Series) what Lasanta, Nectar D'Or, and Quinta Ruban are to Glenmorangie. They take the standard house malt, age it in typical barrels, and then experiment with finishing casks. Similar to Glenmorangie, the light Tomatin base serves as a great foundation for finishes, and the sweet richness of the PX profile complements the base whisky's sweet, cereal-like notes. Tomatin 12 has always reminded me of Frosted Flakes; this expression, however, evokes Raisin Bran, as the sweet grain character is enriched and nuttier from the sherry influence. The palate is creamy and sweet, with raisin, date, and slivered almonds joining the usual Tomatin milk-and-cereal profile. The finish is a bit brief, but overall, this is one of the distillery's finest creations.

I really wanted to love this one but after being open now since 2/24/2020 today makes it open now for approx. 4 months and well below the neck pour. It's just OK for me and has an alcohol burn of a much younger whisky. For me it's a bit disappointing. Also, considering the color isn't that dark, I'm thinking that the time and quality of the PX casks is also very low. Should I say cheap whisky?

After being open for a year, the alcohol bite has mellowed somewhat, but truthfully, this whiskey doesn't really stand out. The cask choices were lacking. I won't repurchase it.

incredibly tasty