Tormore 1996 20 Year Cask Strength (Gordon & MacPhail)

I have just returned from Scotland, the ultimate destination for whisky enthusiasts. My objective was to reach my 1000th whisky review, and I began this journey with only 71 whiskies remaining to taste. My initial dram of the trip was a delightful Gordon & MacPhail bottling of a Tormore, a whisky not often encountered. Specifically, it was a 20-year-old Tormore, Cask Strength at 57.4% ABV, distilled in 1995 from a refill bourbon barrel. The nose was quite lovely, featuring lime and salt, with a hint of chocolate. It was creamy, with some hay and a sulphurous saltiness emerging. There was a metallic quality and a light, tequila-like sensation. It was very fruity, with lemon and citrus notes, and highly aromatic. The palate delivered a good experience, with notes of toffee, lime, and salt. It was very pleasant, with a sweet dulce de leche flavor and a slight sulphurous character. A second taste was much lighter, still carrying a chocolate note infused with salt. A faint lemon lingered behind the chocolate. The finish was somewhat straightforward but still delicious, with toffee and metallic notes, along with lemon, salt, chocolate, and hay. Overall, this was a nice start to such a trip. I plan to visit many distilleries on the mainland and finally fulfill my dream of going to Islay. This is a fine, elegant single malt, deserving of a score of 90 out of 100 in my opinion.