Tomintoul 16 Year

I sampled a tasting set with 10, 16, and 25-year-old expressions. Here's the rundown. Nose: The 10-year is very fresh, clearly young. It evokes a stream flowing through flowering plants, with a subtle tobacco hint. Quite delicate. The 16-year recalls the 10, but with more body, vanilla is dominant. This one is also very delicate. The 25-year shows a consistently very delicate development: vanilla, but also wildflowers and fresh fruit, almonds. The lower alcohol content enhances its gentleness, just as the distillery describes itself! Palate: We begin with the 10, exceptionally delicate, yet it seems older than stated. It's like eating vanilla ice cream with some hazelnuts and fresh fruit pieces. A pleasant, oily texture. A good dram. The 16-year is equally delicate, reminiscent of the 10 but with a touch of licorice and increased oiliness. An excellent dram! The 25-year is undeniably richer, though it sacrifices some of the aromatic softness, presenting wood and vanilla, nuts, and tobacco. Finish: The 10-year is short, confirming its excellent balance, leaving a pleasing trace of flowers and vanilla. The 16-year's finish is a bit more bitter than the 10, and short. The 25-year's finish is much longer, but also more bitter than the other two. Conclusions: I prefer the 16-year for the enjoyment it provided, closely followed by the 10, which it strongly resembles, and then the 25: I've had much better 25-year-olds! Scores: 16-year 4.25 - 10-year 4.00 - 25-year 3.75

Nose: This smells oilier and richer than the Tomintoul 10, which is promising, but it's still not very rich and doesn't smell particularly great. There's some unpleasant bitterness alongside lots of cereal, maybe like fumes from a cereal factory? It has a little sweetness, but it's not very engaging. Palate: It's light despite the added age. Grain notes lead into that typical Tomintoul cereal taste that's a bit sweet and chalky and inescapable. There's also an alcohol presence that is quite off-putting. The richness, which brings caramel and a hint of malt, improves on the 10's flavor, but it's not significantly different. Faint traces of fruit, like classic Irish whiskey apricot, are present but get mixed with the alcohol, which is disappointingly prominent. There's a touch of oily nuttiness, but it's not very noticeable. The cited char smoke, coconut, mint, lemon peel, and vanilla might be present, but they are lost in the alcoholic oiliness I'm tasting, and they aren't good flavors anyway. Finish: Fortunately, the alcohol fades, leaving mostly slightly rich cereal with a bit of oil. It's not bad, but not what I seek in whiskey. However, the reduced alcohol flavor is important because it salvages what was a regression from the 10. It's not an interesting or enjoyable finish. Overall: This is slightly better than the Tomintoul 10, but not by much, unfortunately. The 10 has a purer flavor, while this one tries to compensate for its inherent weakness. It could pass for a 12, but no higher. I'm leaning towards an 11. Dalwhinnie 15 has much more going on; it sits between this and Oban Little Bay. I'm rating this a 10 because it's really not very good. The oiliness, in particular, feels out of place, more suited to a blanco tequila. It does remind me a bit of Bushmill's 10 with its lightness, oiliness, and hint of fruit, but this is clearly superior in all aspects. The persistent cereal throughout isn't my favorite, but I wouldn't refuse it if offered. Still, the 10 is a bit more subtle, despite its rougher edges. I'm undecided between 11 and 12, but I'll give it the edge to 12. It's not a bad whiskey, but I expect more from a 16 year old. For $60, one could do much worse. I'd choose it over two Ainsley Brae Burgundies, for sure.

Sampled from a mini three-pack that also includes the 10yo and 25yo. The aroma is its best feature: toast with jam, fig chutney, raisin, red wine, dusty crumbled walnut, and chocolate. The palate is a bit thin (which might be expected at 40% ABV) and improves after opening for 20 minutes or more, showing notes of fig roll, a touch of salt, and some oak spice. The finish is dry and slightly tannic. Its profile is almost sherry-like, or I could swear there was a red wine finish, but I was surprised to learn it's exclusively ex-bourbon cask matured. I bought the pack in 2017 and tried the 10yo the following year. I was quite unimpressed and, with many other options available, it reduced my desire to try the remaining bottles from the set. My reluctance was justified. Unless someone has a strong recommendation, I may need another 4 or 5 years to feel ready to try the 25yo.

The aroma is dominated by orange peel and dried apricots with vanilla. A spice note is hidden deep in the background, possibly ginger nut biscuits or even peat, but very faint. The taste is initially sweet and full, almost buttery, with citrus notes and a hint of peat. The finish isn't very long; the initial sweetness quickly gives way to a tart and spicy finish, but it's very well-controlled. There are no harsh qualities here. This is largely a subdued and elegant dram. I enjoy it, but it's not exceptional in any specific way, except perhaps the mouthfeel. For the price, it's decent, but I'd hesitate to recommend it. That said, it's probably a good starting point for newcomers to single malts; it won't be intimidating. Thanks to a friend for the sample.

A Friday night after an incredibly demanding week is the ideal time for this gentle dram, Tomintoul 16 Speyside Glenlivet. This scotch, created by distiller Robert Fleming, is matured in specially selected bourbon casks for a minimum of 16 years. Its aroma brings to mind candied apricots, barley, and crackers. With time, a sweet, fruity profile emerges, reminiscent of a banana split topped with warm caramel sauce. As expected from a fine Speyside, this is a truly gentle scotch. The mouthfeel is substantial, with a combination of light smoke, vanilla, and ripe pear. This one is best enjoyed neat. The finish is delicate, featuring apple and oak. It's a remarkably smooth dram that vanishes quickly, like a magic trick. While it doesn't boast excessive complexity, its simple gentleness is comforting. 8/10

Quickly sniffing reveals berry notes! A direct inhale from the glass provides bourbon-cask and white grape notes. The palate at 40% ABV presents coconut and malt. A tasty combination, though not particularly complex. The low ABV does allow for larger sips! It's light and refreshing. My Rating Scale: Two Stars: "I'd rather be drinking lite beer." Two 1/2 Stars: "Posh rubbish." Three Stars: "I love whisk(e)y. This is average love." Three 1/2 Stars: "May buy again." Four Stars: "I've got to get you into my life." Four 1/2 Stars: "Better than drugs." Five Stars: "Life is good. Whisky makes it better."