Whisky: Tormore 19 Year (1995), Goren’s Whisky for Whisky Live Tel-Aviv Cask 20315

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 49.1%

Cask: Hogshead

Age: 19 Years (Distilled 1995, Bottled 2015)

Nose: Rosemary and olive oil, herbal thyme with hints of citrus and apples, subtle florals and strawberry, cotton candy, more dry herbs and cedar.

Palate: Medium-bodied, herbal spices and tea, dried citrus, tarragon, peppercorn, lemon, hints of pineapple and lychee, malty biscuits and sugars, sweet creamy grain toward the end, rice pudding.

Finish: Medium-length and slightly drying with dominant herbal notes and hints of fruit.

Score: 7-

Mental Image: On the War to Scarborough Fair

Narrative & Notes: A delightful Tormore bottled for Whisky Live Tel Aviv, this bottle showcased the herbal side of the spirit with teases of something fruitier and more tropical. My wife described the aroma as soap-adjacent and lovely, as the apples, herbs, and hints of fragrant wood reminded her of the aromatics one might find on a gender-neutral hotel room soap. She is not usually a fan of apple notes but found these sweet and pleasant with the herbal contrast.

The flavors were slightly closed off on this recently opened bottle, especially on the nose. Still, they slowly opened up throughout the dram with sweet grainy rice pudding, lychee, and pineapple. Sometimes you know a bottle will be fantastic if given enough time, and I am confident this will continue to develop nicely.

The Tormore distillery has low-key been one of my side favorites for a little bit. It has remained a distillery to watch for good values since few have heard of it, and it remains relatively uncommon among independent bottlers. I suspect that might change, especially after the distillery changed hands in 2022 when the Singh brothers purchased the distillery from Pernod Richard, who, the previous year, had purchased The Whisky Exchange from the same duo. I expect they have serious plans to develop the brand as they also work toward building the Portintruan Distillery on Islay.