Tormore was not on my radar when, for some reason, I found myself eyeing this bottle. I had never seen the picturesque distillery and I had never tried any whiskies from it. I bought this during the second year of the pandemic when the exchange rate for the US dollar was particularly good, and I figured it was time to buy some whisky.

Well, I may have bought a bit too much whisky at the time, so it took me until after the pandemic burned lower to finally open this bottle. A friend happens to be a fan of the distillery, and I had gained some appreciation for it, so I made sure to open this to share with the local group.

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Whisky: Tormore 26 Year (1992), Berry Bros & Rudd Cask 101160

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 45.2%

Cask: Refill Hogshead

Age: 26 Years (Distilled 1992, Bottled 2019)

Notes: Soft tropical fruits and mellow wood— everything was in pastels, like sitting on a park bench and watching the sunset while carving a honeydew melon. What does a park bench sunset smell like? I guess like this: soft fruits, pears at times, and plenty of melon rind while almond and marzipan pastries gradually pulled toward maltier shortbread and buttery pistachio poundcake, a bit of Haribo gummy bears and some more melon rind. Otherwise, it was a bit austere and woody— like music with the volume a touch too low. Medium to light-bodied on the palate, the flavors were crisp and fruity, and became fruitier the longer the bottle was open with plenty of of those same melon, grass, pear, and almond pastry vibes coming through. The wood was present here as well, more noticeable at the end with a gentle drying quality and a touch of bitterness. The finish was medium to long and mellow with melon rind, fresh dewy grass, and old weathered oak.

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Score: 7-8 (87)

Mental Image: Birdsong in a Quiet Park

Conclusion: Wonderful. You could have given this to me blind and told me it was mid-1990s Ben Nevis and I would have believed every sip of it— it had that kind of natural fruity flavor with some drying tired oak. The flavors were gentle and best suited for easy jazz or something lo-fi— this was pastel citypop rather than anything loud or gregarious. For a louder flavor experience, look elsewhere. Overall, I thought this was incredibly relaxing and the sort of pour that gets a hold on you, if you have patience with it. It was the sort of dram that might shine better at a bar when you spend your time with it and make sure you are getting your money’s worth from the experience.