Tormore 1992 21 Year Cask #100 (Berry Bros & Rudd)

Here is another sample from a group of friends who have joined me in attempting to try a pour from every active distillery in Scotland. This sample is from a lesser-known distillery: Tormore. It's an independent bottling from Berry Bros & Rudd, sourced from the U.K., and it's a well-aged expression at 21 years old. This bottling is cask strength at 54%. I believe a friend paid approximately $120 for this bottle. Let's see if it was justified... In the tasting glass, it has a beautiful, shimmering gold color. Very thin, runny legs leave behind tiny, watery beads after swirling it in the Glencairn. The nose initially presents a very mature oak scent: weathered and worn. Some pleasant florals appear before the sweetness emerges. I detect faint Gala apple slices and a nice hint of pineapple. It constantly shifts between tropical and sherry sweetness. It's very inviting. On the palate, sherry sweetness and a touch of acidity begin the experience. Luscious melons, such as cantaloupe and honeydew, coat the tongue and persist with honeysuckle florals. After a bit of chewing, the alcohol content becomes prominent, creating a much hotter finish that wasn't noticeable earlier. At 54%, I can't say I was surprised, but since it only appeared later, it marred what was otherwise a very good experience. The finish is quite hot and dry, but fortunately, much of the fruity melon notes linger long enough for me to consider it a fairly lengthy conclusion. Positive aspects here. Overall, it's a very good drink. I believe using a higher quality barrel would have resulted in a near-perfect score. It's well-aged and from a very obscure distillery. The most significant outcome is that this bottling makes me want to seek out other official releases from Tormore to sample. Thanks again to my friend. A solid 4-star dram. Cheers, everyone.

Stop number 67 on the SDT is Tormore. A fairly unknown Speyside distillery; they have several official releases but aren't widely available, which leads me to this independent bottling from Berry's. It's 21 years old, distilled in 1992, and bottled in 2014 at 54% ABV, non-chill filtered, and natural color with a pale gold appearance. Cask reference #100. The nose begins on the earthy/vegetal side. It shifts to warm oak, floral honey, and cereal malt. Hints of sherry and nuts. Fruity with apricots, red plums, faint banana, grilled pineapple, toasted coconut, pears, and melons. There's a very faint wood smoke, buttery biscuits, and a light toffee. Old leather and tobacco with a hint of lemon. Apple skins, vanilla, ginger, and some mint/herbs. There's a slightly odd waxy/soapy note at the bottom of the glass. The palate has strong oak and oak tannins. Sherry, likely from a refill or third fill. Pineapple, tangerines, apple skins, faint coconut. Light tobacco and leather. Dates, raisins, slightly vegetal. It finishes with a bit of sawdust. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, lightly oily, and mouthwatering. A medium-length finish with sherry oak, fruity, and a touch of bitterness. Dry. Finally, a decent bottle from Berry's. Not a great one, but decent. Some nice complexity on the nose, but not as much on the palate. It's a bit jumbled at times and seems to lack real cohesion. At $120, it's too expensive for what you get, but it's a fair price for a 21-year-old. Thanks to a friend for the sample. 3.5.

Tormore. Who is Tormore? I'm unfamiliar with them and haven't encountered much information. However, I have the opportunity to sample this uncommon whisky thanks to a friend and as part of a whisky trading group (all initiated through the enthusiasm of friends). What a fantastic group of people... Now, onto the whisky... The nose requires time and patience to begin revealing itself, at least twenty minutes. This suits me fine as I'm just relaxing tonight. It offers fruity and sweet notes of apples, pears, and apricots mingled in a syrupy medium of toffee, vanilla, honey, and white sugar. Leather, cereal, and faint hints of oak emerge with considerable patience. The initial taste delivers a jolt to the palate. Once adjusted, oak and sherry notes (dates and mixed nuts) appear as the first distinct flavors. Tropical notes of coconut and pineapple with demerara sugar and vanilla are present, all delivered in a medium-light body. The drying effect from the oak is quite pronounced, absorbing all moisture from the palate. Orange bitters fade out and conclude the experience. This dram demanded significant effort, patience, and analysis from me. Despite that, I enjoyed it. The nose and palate are robust, but it falls short in the finish (though many whiskies do). It's worth seeking out because Tormore bottlings are rare. It's also a pretty good drink. [87/100][Tasted: 3/24/18]

A good friend, part of our trading group, let me sample this rather obscure producer. I don't recall ever encountering a Tormore or even knowing it was around until this moment. It's amazing how many distilleries I've discovered through this trading group that were previously unknown to me. It makes me ponder: are they incorporated into blends? If that's the case, what's the point of releasing a single malt, unless they believe consumers will choose it over more established options? Regardless, this particular one is 21 years old, though I wouldn't have guessed its age. The scent and flavor are rather subdued. Honey and grains. That's the extent of it. Harmless, unadventurous, and dull. I don't object to those traits, but I don't anticipate them in a 21-year-old spirit.

I'm quite surprised that the cask strength didn't impart more flavor for me. It has the typical Speyside aroma with tropical pineapple and coconut notes, but is more floral with honeysuckle, vanilla, cream, and very little smoke. The finish is very subtle and short, with light syrup and powdered sugar, and no alcohol burn. Adding a few drops of water reveals honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon. It's a remarkably mild and delicate dram for its ABV. The overall impression is like a soft, sweet song, perhaps "Open Arms" by Journey. Hmm, a 3.75.

Nose: leather, honey Palate: rich, strong, oily, full and rich Finish: long, salty Overall: This rare bottle of whisky is from the Highland Park distillery on the island. Very strong. My bottle is from cask #1.