Name: Tomatin 1976 (Whisky Agency)
Brand: Tomatin
Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)

Last Monday I attended a great “televoting tasting” by whisky club Fulldram. Each member could nominate 6 bottles from a list of 20.

The resulting line-up contained eight drams, with a few highlights like the Glen Elgin 1975 by Berry Bros, Port Ellen 1983 (cask #66 by Malts of Scotland) and Glenlivet 1972 Perfect Dram (notes will follow). The preferred whisky of most members turned out to be the Tomatin 1976 released by Daily Dram.

That Tomatin seems to be gone now, but a similar release has just been announced by The Whisky Agency in the new Grotesque Crocs series. Let’s do a little comparison.

Tomatin 34 yo 1976 (51,3%, The Whisky
Agency ‘Grotesque Crocs’ 2011, refill sherry butt, 309 btl.)

Nose: difficult to spot differences between both versions. Both are wonderfully tropical: mango, tangerine, apricot and banana with silky vanilla and mint. The pink grapefruit notes were a bit stronger in the Daily Dram version, the TWA focuses more on oak (+ polish) and seems to show more spicy / herbal notes and also a soft layer of dried fruits. But you know, as soon as I swirl my glasses and put my nose back in, I’m wondering whether it’s not simply imagination. The similarities are far more striking than the differences anyway.

Mouth: impressive fruitiness again (tropical fruits and citrus), backed up with spices (nutmeg, pepper, cinnamon, vanilla) and oak. Again the spices in this TWA version seem a little louder and the DD version has more pronounced grapefruit. A little dryness in the end, which seems bigger here.

Finish: medium long, fruity and spicy.

For those who were unable to get the Daily Dram version: here’s an almost identical Tomatin – again not the most complex whisky but otherwise just as excellent and extremely drinkable. Great tropical fruits tied together by oak spices. Should arrive in stores shortly. Around € 150.

Score: 91/100

8Comments

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1

MARS on 6 April 2011 at 10:02

Just for info, the daily dram is still available at “la maison du whisky” (it is a joint bottling with them)
http://www.whisky.fr/produit-16204-tomatin-34-ans-1976-51.0-sherry-butt-nectar-34-yo.html

No picture, sadly.
2

Ruben on 6 April 2011 at 10:05

Thanks Mars.
3

MARS on 6 May 2011 at 10:25

Tried this one twice already and I find that it is very complex. Much more than the daily dram version.
It is also less fruity, more spicy and less easy drinkable.
That said, I prefer this version by far (on my way to buy a bottle, a bottle and half)
4

Ruben on 6 May 2011 at 10:37

It comes down to personal preferences of course. If you say you prefer the TWA Littlemill over these Tomatin, then it’s clear you like punchy / spicy drams. For me, old Tomatin is mostly about tropical fruits so I think the Daily Dram is a little more typical.
5

MARS on 7 May 2011 at 13:21

Indeed, it’s a matter of personal preference. And the diference is not huge between the TWA and the daily dram.
To really be sure wich one one I prefer I have to open a bottle of each and drink a few dram side by side. (it’s possible as I am on my way to have both)
6

Ruben on 7 May 2011 at 13:24

That’s exactly how I made up my mind 😉
Both the same score as they are equally great, just different details.
7

Ruben on 1 December 2011 at 11:44

This one has just won a silver medal at the Malt Maniacs Awards 2011.

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