Scotland, Speyside: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

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Tomintoul

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Tomintoul distillery
Tomintoul Distillery
Ballindalloch
Banffshire
AB37 9AQ
+44 1807 590 274
Owner: Angus Dundee Distillers
Creation date1964

photos

The Tomintoul distillery has been founded in 1964 by the W&S Strong and Hay & MacLeod companies.
It has been named after one of the highest villages in the Highlands. This young and modern distillery doubled its production capacity in 1974, when its first single malt was marketed.
Tomintoul enters in the composition of the blends of Whyte & MacKay group, who has been owner of the distillery from 1973 until 2000.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

Tomintoul: official bottlings

Tomintoul

10 years
Age
 10 years
Alcohol percentage
 40,0 %
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 71/100
This nice whisky of the Speyside area can be considered as a "standard whisky", without anything really special, but without any major fault neither. It is mainly produced for the blending industry but its reasonable price makes one does not regret to have bought it.
70/100
A nose without any depth, rather indefinable. May be some hints of cut grass, but cut since a while. In the palate, an impression of washed-out alcohol, without particular fragrance. Alcohol, but a sweet one. A short finish devoid of interest. This whisky is not bad, but is to range amongst the insignificant ones.
65/100
The nose is marked by malted barley and quite a strong smell of yeast. A bit of smoke and some remote hay smells on the background. In the palate, the main regret is that the percentage of alcohol is a bit too low as it gives a watery character to the whole which is far from being unpleasant. Without being very complex, this whisky has quite a large tastes palette even if all are centred on malt. The finish is rather short and slightly bitter.
74/100

Comment by
Johannes Sauer

C.: Bright amber (Colouring E150a)
N.: Soft floral notes, baked apples, heather honey, throw in a small amount hazelnuts mixed with sweet milk chocolate and you get the recipe for a gentle, "elegant" but also only little upsetting nose.
T.: The gentle and soft impression gets even stronger: Lots of honey, brown sugar and sweet chocolate.
F.: Medium, here finally is an very floral and scottish highlands-backbeat after the vanishing of all that honey.
C.: There's very few complexity, but nevertheless there is something very seducing in this softness which makes this dram charming and very enjoyable to go with a cigar, if you're a smoker....

 74/100
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Tomintoul: independent bottlings

Tomintoul

Adelphi, 38 year
Age
 38 years
Alcohol percentage
 49,2 %
Bottler
 Adelphi
Cask number
single cask 4485
Dates
 Distil: 1967 Bottling: 2005
Bottle
 196 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
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links & average quote
 84/100
Tomintoul Adelphi 1967
First nose offers some slightly woody notes mixed with floral hints which develop soon on something rather fresh with a hint of cut grass and spices. Pepper. Very nice nose indeed.
In the palate, freshness dominates, followed by ripe fruit and nutty notes, the latter being rather discreet however. The whole develops slowly on a pleasant bitterness.
Finish is lingering and fresh, prolonging this mix of acid freshness and slightly woody notes in a nice balance.
84/100
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Tomintoul

Scott's Selection 1989-2005
Collection
 Natural Cask Strength
Age
 16 years
Alcohol percentage
 56,9 %
Bottler
 Scott's Selection
Dates
 Distil: 1989 Bottling: 2005
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Tomintoul 1989 Scott

The first nose is very rich. Obvious presence of fruit, coconut, a touch of smoke, some orange zest, mint. In short a superb nose. Complex and subtle. Let's hope the rest of the tasting remains on the same mood.
The first nose is both bitter and acid, gentian notes with an obvious presence of alcohol. Acidity quickly dominates, and the nice promises of the nose unfortunately dim very soon. No coconut, no fruit, except some rough notes of green apple at the beginning.
The finish is lingering and fresh. The memories of alcohol clearly dominate.

What a pity, s slight deception after this superb nose. Probably this whisky will enhance in the coming weeks, due to aeration.
84/100

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Tomintoul: samples

Tomintoul

Prenzlow Portfolio collection 1966
Collection
 Prenzlow Portfolio Collection
Age
 40 years
Alcohol percentage
 55,5 %
Bottler
 Jack Wieber
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
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links & average quote
 84/100
Tomintoul 1966 jwww
The first nose is quite discrete. After a while, some nice vanilla notes appear together with some fruity hints (not ripe peach). The mouth is immediately marked by the fruit. Relatively monotone, however. Pear alcohol, not very complex even if the whole remains on a very acceptable level. The percentage of alcohol does not hinder the tasting. The finish is relatively short, also dominated by fruits. Some regrets about this whisky: a lack of personality and presence. I had expected some more from such an old whisky.
84/100
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Tomintoul

1967, Bourbon Hogshead
Collection
 Angel's Choice
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 47,5 %
Bottler
 Malts of Scotland
Cask number
single cask 11023
Dates
 Distil: 1967 Bottling: 11-2011
Bottle
 69 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
links & average quote
 90/100
Tomintoul 67 MOS

Colour: Straw
The nose is balanced and fresh. Floral, fruity, a bit of cut grass, sour candies combine to give an interesting complexity to the very promising nose.
The attack is first acid and the freshness of the nose is found in full in the mouth. Beyond these first notes recalling more the acid drops than the apple green, a slight bitterness. Surprising freshness for a whisky of this age. Mouth is very pleasant and becomes deliciously complex after a few moments.
The finish is marked by subtle notes of gentian (characteristic bitterness) and the freshness that characterized the mouth and nose is gone. The finish is pleasantly long.
An excellent whisky nicely balancee, but is less spectacular than we could have imagined in view of the label.

90/100
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Tomintoul: not in collection

Tomintoul

Peaty Tang Speyside Glenlivet
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 40 %
Bottler
 Official
links & average quote
 79/100
Tomintoul Peaty Tang

Comment by
Johannes Sauer

App.: Bright golden
Nose: Very powerful; as expected there's lots of peat and smoke backed by a soft floral and honeyish note. Also a little terpentine and freshly grated sawdust.
Palate: The first impression is surprisingly soft and easy after this nose, flowerbeds in a scottish garden. The peat shows up at the second glance but now with a keen and mighty entrance. There's also oakwood and a beautiful balance between all that peat honey and wood. A clear medical and bitter but also herbal note (Fernet Branca) which goes stronger at the
Finish: Still smokin' and and very busy, lingering like a dying cigar butt, not very long but with a good accent on bitter herbs.
Conc.: Give this obviously rather young spirit a few more years in maybe a bourbon (not necessarily sherry) cask and there will be a great and very interesting whisky! A promising malt very worth a try.

 79/100
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Tomintoul

14 years old Speyside Glenlivet
Age
 14 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Official
links & average quote
 86/100
tomintoul 14 years

Comment by
Johannes Sauer

Colour: Real pale, bright straw.
Nose: Very full, sweet and appealing. There is much honey so intense and clear I have seldom experienced. Also there is caramel fudge, scottish tablets and softly perfumed notes like flower covered highland meadows in springtime. Not the smallest trace of smoke, spice, not to speak of peat or such. It is just plain clean honeycomb sweetness, very pleasant and not at all boring because of that very floral addition.
Taste: Again the first impression is perfect sweetness. Not soft and easy but sweet. And here on the palate the floral notes are getting more and more accented and mix beautifully with the mighty complex sweetness. But, like always in life and good whisky, this idyllic picture has a dark side: Little later coffee notes and few but clearly bitter herbal notes (unforesniffable in the nose) show up and lead toward the very round and rather long
Finish: Not unlike capuccino made with soy milk, sweetened with honey, for me very pleasant and fulfilling. To compare just visit your next organic coffee store.
Conc.: There are sure many honey-accented drams in the highlands but here is a roundness making it a very expressive malt.
Tasting date: November/3nd/2009

 86/100
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Tomintoul

Old Ballantruan Peated Malt Speyside Glenlivet
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 50 %
Bottler
 Official
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered
links & average quote
 84/100
Tomintoul Old ballantruan

Comment by
Johannes Sauer

Colour: Brass, darker gold.
Nose: Strong and very dry smoke, cigar ash, some rather biting but not disturbing note like terpentine. Freshly polished leather boots, backed by emerging softer floral and fruity (apple) notes.
Taste: Very firm, the 50% let their muscles play, but beside the strong peat-reek there's ginger, ready salted crisps, nuts (pecans) and candied lemon peel (Citronate).
Finish: After short there's a very enjoyable bitterness teasing the tastebuds for a while.
Conc.: Appears to be the great brother of Tomintoul "Peaty Tang" - Lacks the complexity of a great Islay-dram, but any peat freak will love this one.
Date: 9/16/2008

84/100
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Tomintoul

33 years old
Age
 33 years
Alcohol percentage
 43 %
Bottler
 Official
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links & average quote
 Forum 85/100
Tomintoul 33
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Tomintoul

Ballantruan
Collection
 The Cross Hill
Age
 4 years
Alcohol percentage
 60,7 %
Bottler
 Jack Wieber
Dates
 Distil: 2001 Bottling: 2005
Bottle
 324 btls
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 60/100
Tomintoul Ballantruan

Comment by
Johannes Sauer

Colour: Nearly white. Spring water. Like new make spirit. The brightest whisky I ever seen.
Nose: Peat, peat and peat. And smoke. One can only guess how much ppm the malt had. Also a good amount of chemical notes, like an rag with detergent you cleaned an ashtrail with. Behind that peaty wall there is a soft but well marked citrus-fruitiness. With water a strange note of rusty metal can be detected.
Taste: Without water nearly not drinkable. Smoke, salt and salmiac licorice dissolved in industrial alcohol. With water there is very much salt (I won’t say sea salt since there are no maritime notes anyway), it’s more like cooking water for noodles combined with schnaps and burned porridge.
Finish: Short and spritty. There is again this strange but not unpleasant rusty metal note from the nose. A trace of cigarette smoke lingers for a longer while.
Conclusion: Hardcore peat. This dram can only be recommended to the really skilled peat lover. It is not unenjoyble but seems to be unready in a strange way. Not a trace of what I call complexity. Looks like new make and tastes like it. Not even recommended for aperitif. But quite an experience nevertheless.
Date: 7. March 2011
Price in Germany: 46 Euro (bought at Jack Wiebers Whisky Store in Berlin- Cross Hill – Kreuzberg...)

 60/100
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Tomintoul

43 years old
Collection
 Hand written label
Age
 43 years
Alcohol percentage
 49,3 %
Bottler
 Thosop
Cask
 Bourbon
Cask number
single cask 5426
Dates
 Distil: 14-07-1967 Bottling: 2010
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 Forum 92/100
Tomintoul 43 Thosop
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Tomintoul

Old Train Line 1966
Collection
 Old Train Line
Age
 44 years
Alcohol percentage
 49,1 %
Bottler
 Jack Wieber
Dates
 Distil: 1966 Bottling: 2010
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
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 92/100
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Speyside

Speyside Map

The Speyside area is situated at the North of the Cairngorm mountain and goes to the Moray firth. It is delimited by two rivers: the Findhorn at the West side and the Deveron on the East side.
The area is named after the river Spey. Most of the distilleries take their water in one of its affluents; the Fiddich, the Livet or the Avon.
About sixty distilleries from Speyside are described on this site.

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