Tomatin 14 Year Port Casks

Nose: Fresh barley, crisp malt, juicy grapes, red berries, apples, sprightly oak cask and just a hint of cinnamon. The port cask contribution is subtle and very successful. I liked this nose a lot when neat, and adding a dash of water mutes the port influence a little, allowing the malt character to come forward, and it develops some honey. Palate: Sweet, oily arrival mainly on orchard fruits and berries. Sweeter fruits come forward in the development and pepper, ginger and cinnamon spices appear, together with crisp tannins from the cask that show as walnuts and bitter chocolate. There is also a flavor like hot butterscotch or honeycomb. Adding water really does good things to this dram. The hot spice is lowered a good deal and the texture becomes velvety, mouth-coating and soft. Just enough ginger remains, however, so don’t fear watering this one – it can swim. Finish: Medium/long. Fruit and wine flavours segueing into a dash of hot ginger with a little astringency. When watered the finish is substantially the same, but just dialed down a fraction. This is a good example of port maturation. The port pipes were used to modulate and soften the distillery character without swamping the whisky in wine. Vinous aromas and flavours are certainly present, but they have a supporting role that adds colour and character without being overly prominent. The bourbon casks that provided most of the maturation environment are still clearly apparent. The nose is very much a classic whisky profile, but with just a tinge of wine influence that adds depth and body. The palate is a balance between sweet and hot/bitter spice which is again a classic whisky style, but here emphasized by grape tones. The finish is a touch hot, but very satisfying. Great stuff and a good example of Tomatin. It’s a distillery that in my experience can be inconsistent, but when they are good they are very good. This is a great “winter warmer” whisky. “Good” : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

A 14yo Tomatin, matured in Port Casks, is this surprising expression that i really never heard or seen before i had it in an scottish bar in Edinburgh. Bottled at 46%abv, this have been partially matured in bourbon casks and finished in tawny port pipes. On the nose, lots of red fruits, caramelized apples, cherry syrup. A second sip gave me a very citric like grapefruit and starfruit. On the palate, it was very sweet, like a cherry syrup overload. Then it changes to a nice acidity like a cabernet sauvignon wine. It is a little rough. A second sip gave me honey for a second, and coconut. Aftertaste has a nice burnt hay with some burnt tobbacco notes. It is like a ashy / peaty finish that came out of nowhere. Nice. Overall, this one might not be the most memorable dram ever, but is far from been bad or off-putting. I would normally pick any other dram over this if given the chance, but i would not hesitate to drink it if i am invited a glass in any occasion. My score for it is a fair 84 over 100.

The aroma on the nose is predominantly vinous, decidedly Port: raisins, pecans, red fruits, orange peel. Malt in the form of butter biscuits is very present, over time it opens to hot scents of vanilla, caramel, a pinch of nutmeg and a herbaceous background, all harmonious and delicate. The mouth is rather dry and hot, with chilli and spices that overlay dark chocolate, ripe fruit (apricots, apples, red fruits), hazelnuts, candied orange and malt. Touch of anise and wood in the background. A precarious balance that holds. Medium length finish, of chili pepper, hazelnuts, orange peel, wood. On the razor's edge, you expect it to slop at any moment, but it doesn't happen. The contribution of Portuguese wine barrels is on the edge of invasiveness, well supported by the body of the whisky, but reaffirms how difficult this marriage remains.

A good friend of mine was gifted three bottles of whisky for his birthday. A Japanese one, a Bulleit Bourbon, and a Tomation Single Malt. As he wanted to share a few drams, we decided to keep a small tasting. This 14-year-old Port Finished Tomatin was our third dram, and as I expected, the better one of the lineup. The nose was sweet, slightly nutty, but fruitful, but evolved to a sweeter, spicier palate. The port influence was noticeable, but not too prominent. The aftertaste was moderate, but where it loses a bit in wine, it gained a bit of dry oakiness. While I probably wouldn't buy my own bottle, my friend and I both agreed this was the best dram of the line-up.

OK. Im ready to give a review. I was hopeing after some time this whisky would get better but unfortunately after 8 weeks and now below a kneckpour it still has the alchofol burn of a yong whisky in the 6 to 8 year rangs. This is supposed to be 14 years but I'm not getting any mellowness of a 14 year whicky. I just received and cracked open a bottle on Kavalan Port Finish and Just cracked its 300% better than this shite! I'm evaluateing most Tomatin now as a disapointeing distillery but a good value. Decide what that means to you. I will not be buying much Tomatin again. I like the look of the bottle though.

The aroma is brutally sweet, of unwashed hands after hours of hand-picking sweet red grapes. Strong aroma of blackcurrant after a long stay in the glass. Very sweet fruit on the nose. On the palate, there is an initial sweetness with nice development. Creamy structure, developing spicy spices of a nice baked plum cake. On a second try, I also experienced a hard-baked caramel. The finish is medium to long, featuring black fruits and black coffee with milk, along with a slight hint of oaky spiciness. 82/100 WBR