Over to Tomintoul for a 10 year old that has set its time inside a refill butt. 246 bottles at 56.7% ABV is the result. And you can pick one up from The Whisky Exchange for £66.95.
Nose: There’s rather the Christmas cake going on here with icing, amaretti biscuits and fruitcake generously filled with candied fruits and nuts. Whipped cream provides softness, whilst lemon jelly joins baked brioche scattered with chopped almonds. Reduction adds herbal asides and touches of alluvialness with gravel, putties and clays.
Taste: Tart lemon buttercream is joined by overt liquorice allsorts ‘jelly spogs’, whilst tea cakes sit with toasted almonds, crunchy toffee and a building earthy pepperiness. Dilution favours herbal aspects with pine needles, steeped tea and star anise.
Finish: Medium with spiced fudge and herbal liqueurs.
Watt Whisky’s 2010 Tomintoul is nicely eccentric. Whilst the core of the Ballindalloch-based distillery’s distillate is still present and correct this refill butt has twisted it into something that’s thought-provokingly different. Not complex, but eyebrow raising all the same. Like it.
Review sample provided by Watt Whisky