Now that the Tomatin 30 Year Old is discontinued, it is replaced by some old limited edition like the Tomatin 32 Year Old 1981 (bottled in 2014), now followed by this Tomatin 36 Year Old.
It says ‘Batch 1’ so I guess it’s meant to be more than a one-off. This batch is composed of two casks: an Oloroso and a bourbon cask, both filled in 1977. They come in a heart-shaped decanter and a big wooden case.
Tomatin 36 yo 1977
(46%, OB 2015, Batch 1, cask #48 + 30142, 800 btl.)
Tomatin 36 yo 1977Nose: starts on polished woods and lots of fresh, minty notes. Then the fruits set in, mainly exotic (1976-ish) fruits: mango, some guava and passion fruits. Juicy pears and pink grapefruit. Some herbal honey. Golden raisins. Hints of vanilla and ginger. A tad spicier than most 1976s, but equally nice and more complex.
Mouth: fairly earthy and malty, with a little more (bourbonny) wood than I expected. Baking spices. Cloves and cardamom. Less sweet than the nose suggested, further away from 1976, with less tropical fruits. Orchard fruits here: pear, apple, oranges too. Okay, subtle mango and one passion fruit in the background. Aniseed.
Finish: not huge, but a smooth, fresh combo of fruits and bourbonny oak.
Excellent whisky. The bourbon wood tempers the exuberant 1976 exotic fruits but also adds complexity. Quite expensive: around € 650.
Score: 91/100