Whisky: Tobermory 28 Year (1994), Royal Mile Whiskies Cask 381018

Country/Region: Scotland/Islands

ABV: 50.8%

Cask: Sherry

Age: 28 Years (Distilled 22 July 1994, Bottled 2023)

Nose: Savory and coastal, rice crackers, smoked gim or nori, salty-sweet teriyaki glaze, dried fruits, hints of rubber tires.

Palate: Medium-bodied, black cherry and aniseed, dried plums, salt, sweet and sour, more rubber and brown sugar in the background with earth and motor oil.

Finish: Medium to long with musty sugars and earth.

Score: 7 (84)

Mental Image: Retro Crack Seed Merchant

Narrative & Notes: Savory and coastal with arare, rice crackers, iso peanuts, and sheets of smoked gim, or nori.  Slightly sweet, with teriyaki glaze among dried cherries, ume, and hints of rubber tires. Medium-bodied on the palate with rich notes of black cherry powder, aniseed candies, li hing mui, dried plums— all the goodies one might find in a Crack Seed store, an old fashioned Chinese candy seller with jars of preserved, dried, and pickled goodies.  More rubber and brown sugar sat in the background; shredded old tires on a playground with a touch of earth and motor oil.  The finish was medium to long with musty sugars and earth.

I thought about buying this bottle more than a few times since Royal Mile Whiskies bottled it.  It is an interesting one because you can follow the journey of the cask; if you look up the cask number, you can find the auction where they bought it and get some idea of its provenance.  I think that makes the story a bit more fun. I was also drawn to it because I loved a similar whisky from Alexander Murray which was even dirtier if you can imagine.

A good friend gave me his thoughts, comparing the whisky to a recent Decadent Drinks release: “If that 1995 Sponge is a cola with a steak dinner, than the 1994 Royal Mile is a cola delivery truck that jammed on the brakes, seized them up, skidded off the road as the tires screeched and caught fire, then crashed right into a salt marsh.” I love it.

Overall, I found the flavors nostalgic.  The aroma transitioned nicely from rice crackers to fruits with a rubbery character in the background. I did not find it unpleasant at all and the flavors on the palate presented a wonderful spread of musty, fruity delights. I wish more of the maritime character carried over and that the body was weightier, but the finish was pleasant.  Dirty and delicious, if not quite turned up to the volumed I wanted.

Image Credit: Malt Runners; check out what the rest of the crew said through the link!