Tomatin 10 Year (2010), Hart Brothers
Whisky: Tomatin 10 Year (2010), Hart Brothers
Country/Region: Scotland/Highland
ABV: 53.8%
Cask: First Fill Port Pipe
Age: 10 Years (Distilled Oct. 2010, Bottled Oct. 2020)
Nose: Caramel and nougat, prunes and dates, spirited, grape, fruit leather, subtle cacao nibs.
Palate: Medium to full-bodied, raisins and moon drop grapes, brown sugar, hints of cinnamon, stewed plums, black cherries, vanilla bean.
Finish: Medium-length with stewed plums and hints of spice.
Score: 5-6
Mental Image: Ice Cream Sunday Bar
Narrative & Notes: A touch spirited and with a youthful prickle, the nose opened onto a field of nougat with caramel streams cutting across it. The notion of candy bars did not last for long as prunes and dried dates took over with strawberry, grape, and mango fruit leather. Grape Nerds brought me back to candy town with hints of cacao nibs. The palate was more refined than the aroma let on, with a medium to full-bodied cask-driven float down a river of stewed fruit and fruit preserves. Raisins and sweet Moon Drop grapes floated by between eddies of brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla bean. Stewed plums dominated with occasional notes of black cherry— a fruit sauce begging to be poured atop ice cream. The finish was medium-length with stewed plums and spice.
Overall, a pleasant and straightforward whisky. The aroma was a touch spirited and hot for my taste, but the palate was far more refined with a lovely viscosity, and the finish was enjoyable. Tomatin is rarely my jam, though I can see the appeal, especially with the lovely viscosity— not quite as creamy on this one as others though there was definitely a hint of that. A solid, simple cask bomb, something that Hart Brothers seem to be putting out in abundance lately.
Image Credit: Whiskyshop.nl
