Origin: Highlands (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 46%ABV
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Takara Shuzo Corp.
Official website: www.tomatin.com
Trio of bottlings released at the end of July 2024 and, as the name vaguely suggests, dedicated to the rebirth of sherry maturation, declined in different versions: Manzanilla, Palo Cortado and PX.
For decades, Spanish fortified wine has had a place of honour among the casks for Scotch whisky, for historical as well as flavour reasons, but with the sherry sales crisis, purchase costs have risen considerably, and procuring casks is no longer as simple as it was then: new agreements are being made with bodegas to create ad hoc casks, or one resorts to the various cooperages to recover as much as possible.
Interestingly, Palo Cortado casks are enjoying a golden season, popping up just about everywhere in maturations.
Tomatin 2014 10yo Manzanilla Edition
Ageing casks: Finished in ex-Manzanilla
Average price: € 80.00
Vote: 82/100
Unspecified initial maturation with two years finishing in butts ex Manzanilla for a total of ten (stated) years of ageing.
Tasting Notes
The nose initially expresses all the tartness of the casks, with abundant red fruits (currants, raspberries, cranberries) combined with balsamic vinegar, diluted over time by warmer notes of sacher torte, sour cherries, bread dough. Slight saline streak in the background. Straight.
In the mouth, things change, showing a more conciliatory profile in which the red fruits still dictate the line, with the acid part shifted towards citrus (pink grapefruit) and spicy overtones (cinnamon, aniseed, dill) on nuts (almonds, walnuts), pomegranate, sour cherries, tamarind, milk chocolate and green tea. The saline part returns, always in length, rather persistent to push towards the next sip.
The finish is quite long and saline with red fruits, citrus notes, vegetable notes and a slight sulphurous vein.
The approach to the glass is not the best, but on drinking it recovers many points: it doesn’t offer great insights or complexity, but it’s drinkable enough and without excess to be enjoyed.
Tomatin 2008 15yo Palo Cortado Edition
Ageing casks: Finished in ex-Palo Cortado
Average price: € 100,00
Vote: 87/100
Again, initial maturation unknown, with the last three years spent in former Palo Cortado casks.
Tasting Notes
The nose brings forth a mix of red fruits and citrus fruits, crossing with blueberries, gooseberries and candied blood orange cherries, kumquats and mandarins, kneading them with butterscotch, chestnut honey and marzipan. Over time, it becomes warmer and more full-bodied, the aromas are enriched with salted caramel, praline peanuts and maple syrup, with a sulphurous and mineral vein in the background that, with its vinous touches, curbs the excesses of cloyingness.
On the palate, it repeats the red and citrus combination, where the spicy section (pepper, ginger, nutmeg) accompanies praline coffee beans, milk chocolate, blueberry muffins, marzipan and tannic attacks. Again a mineral and at times sulphurous vein underlies the dram, with vegetal hints (green tea, cucumber) and salty accents.
The finish is long and dry, saline, of red fruits, citrus (chinotto, pink grapefruit, candied orange) and green tea.
A clear leap forward compared to the previous one, increasing depth and facets with a good balance between distillate and casks, a sherried made properly while remaining very drinkable.
Tomatin 2006 17yo Pedro Ximénez Edition
Ageing casks: Finished in ex-Pedro Ximénez
Average price: € 180.00
Vote: 87/100
The oldest bottling of the trio, with the last eight years (well over a finishing period) spent in ex-PX casks.
Tasting Notes
The first approach to the nose fully reflects the long passage in PX: intense notes of black cherry, blackberry jam, candied blood orange, prunes and dried figs, spread over a bed of chocolate cake, caramel and coffee cream. At times, remnants of Black Forest cake. Slight spiciness, of black pepper and cinnamon, with lemon zest. In the background, the leitmotif of these bottlings: mineral and sulphurous vein. Even over time it doesn’t give an inch, remaining full-bodied and warm without overdoing it.
In the mouth, it has an unexpected freshness, thanks to the increase of the mineral notes (the sulphurous one remains in the background) and citrus (lemon cream, pink grapefruit) parts, which soften the charge of ripe and dried fruit that is always present. Dark chocolate, brown sugar, aged balsamic vinegar, walnuts, sweet liquorice, cinnamon and a saline streak complete the picture, with tannins evident along the length.
Long, saline finish of black cherries, blackberry jam, nuts, mineral vein and vegetal hints.
The ageing casks I suspect were not first-fill, but be that as it may, the final result is balanced and full, keeping on the edge of decadence with those notes that sherried lovers will surely appreciate.
Personally, I prefer the 15 year old, capable of greater complexity even than this 17 year old, but the level remains very high.