Tomatin 29 Years / Auchentoshan 31 Years (Decadent Drinks)

We have a new set of samples on our desk from Decadent Drinks (yay!). Always hard to choose where to start, so we decided to go for two oldies: Tomatin 1994 (a combination that we haven’t seen in a long time) and Auchentoshan 1991 (which reminds us of this one).

 

Tomatin 29 yo 1994 (49,5%, Decadent Drinks 2023, refill sherry hogshead, 190 btl.)

Nose: the kind of gentle (and slightly tropical) fruits that remind us more of cognac these days. Pears, mango, stewed apricots and nice hints of tangerines. Then lemon oil and subtle hints of tobacco leaves. Light hints of scented wax candles and dried flowers too.

Mouth: more of this Speyside fruitiness. Plenty of golden apple, with hints of papaya and more of these citrus oils. Touches of mint. Now the age and oak is a little more noticeable, but it’s the polished kind, so no astringency. Just a little leather and nutmeg alongside light herbal honey and cinnamon cookies.

Finish: medium long and rather leafy, with some toasted oak, apricot and heathery spice.

A very harmonious Tomatin that bears its age with dignity. It misses the 90 mark by a whisker, maybe we expected a bit more of that fruity brightness. Available from Decadent Drinks or TWE for instance.

 

 

Auchentoshan 31 yo 1991 (53,6%, Decadent Drinks 2023, refill barrel, 179 btl.)

Nose: a nice waxiness comes out immediately. Beeswax but also (Barbour?) grease, giving it an old-school profile. Underneath there is honey sweetness and some dandelions and a ripe banana / mint combination with peach. Then whiffs of waxed paper and vegetal oils. Maybe some almond paste.

Mouth: cool, this is really old-school. This is really oily and waxy, with creamy lemon and grapefruit peels, alongside dried herbs. Hints of sweet white rum. Some gin-like notes as well (juniper, floral notes, cardamom) and hickory, as well as candied ginger. I’m also getting hints of the new wave of Japanese whiskies (Shizuoka or Chichibu). Very interesting.

Finish: long, still showing these funky herbs, with mild fruity hints and some zesty notes.

Auchentoshan is, of course, usually rather boring and flimsy. Not my words, but those of the Sponge. Even if he has a point, this is different. I’ll give it a conservative rating because it has flashes of genious but also stranger elements. Overall one of the most interesting whiskies I’ve had in a long time though. Available from Decadent Drinks among others. Score: 90/100