Whisky: Tormore 28 Year (1988), Antique Lions of Spirits “The Birds”

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 50.4

Cask: Oak

Age: 28 Years (Distilled 1988, Bottled 2016)

Nose: Wax, cream, and citrus. Fruity and herbal notes lingered with honeydew rind, crystallized ginger, earl grey tea, menthol, and hints of pine needles. Dusty lemons and hints of canned fruit salad wafted out of the old warm oak cupboard as I stashed a yeasty dough to prove.

Palate: Medium-bodied with rich, bright citrus, pastries, and ginger. Oily and slightly waxy with citrus, malty ginger pastries, hints of molasses, and dusty oak. An old plantation house kitchen came to mind with butter, honey, tangerines, lilikoi, and fresh cane stalks. Refreshing pineapple sorbet settled as the dominant note, while hints of butterscotch and chocolate appeared at the end.

Finish:  Lingering notes of subtle fruit, sugar, and pastries.

Score: 8

Mental Image: Drawing the Velvet Drapes for High Tea

Notes: I loved this: a striking and well-integrated malt with a subtle sweetness and rich buttery profile. Tormore was not a distillery on my radar until recently when an unexpected hype train passed through announcing I would love this distillery. I am a bit of a Stan for other Chivas Bros mainstay malts, especially Longmorn and Glenburgie, so I was excited to find that a buddy had slipped me a sample of a very mature Tormore. The profile was everything I hoped it would be— loaded with tropical fruits and subtle notes of pastries and dusty oak.

The aroma on the nose took me back to my grandmother’s kitchen. Her house was always balanced between the floral-citrus scent she must have worn or sprayed and the yeasty-malty aroma of dough or freshly baked bread. Suddenly, I was back in the kitchen, sneaking a pinch of the rising dough. The palate pulled me toward the old-style plantation houses— the small wooden bungalow that fills with the aroma of fruit, butter, and anything you cut, cook, or bake in the kitchen.

Overall, this was a fantastic introduction to the distillery, and I cannot wait for a chance to try some more. I am curious to see how the malt performs at a younger age. It reminded me a bit of Glencadam at times, and if it is anything like that distillery, then I am sure it can be exquisite.

Image Credit: Whisky Auctioneer