That Boutique-y Whisky Company was launched last year at Maltstock, so it’s nearing its first birthday in early September. In the meantime they have bottled quite a bit of small batch releases, not coincidentally in a pattern comparable to Master of Malt Single Cask releases. A lot of releases were done in both series more or less at the same time.

While some releases have been terrific (I fondly remember the first batches of Ardbeg, Port Ellen and Caperdonich as well BenRiach, Invergordon and Benrinnes) I found quite some samples plagued by a strange flavour and scent of fennel. It started with the samples at Maltstock and I found it again in the Aberlour that I tried later. I even ordered a second sample of that to see if it was the wee bottle. It wasn’t.

Now I am about to review their Tobermory release. I was a bit apprehensive of doing so because of the fennel scents, but also because Tobermory is one of my least favourite distilleries in Scotland. I tried some nice ones but the official releases usually get given away to people who do appreciate this whisky.

Tobermory Batch 1, That Boutique-y Whisky Company

Sniff:
Salty with licorice root, some wood and rope. Quite harbor like so far. Vanilla, ginger, anise and genever. The ‘TBWC’ fennel scent is here, but it is not really misplaced. It might, of course, also come from the whisky.

Sip:
The salty bit I found on the nose is more or less gone here so in general it is a bit more on the sweet side. I found vanilla, oak, ginger and pepper. There is a dry, bitter hint in the background too that is kind of appealing.

Swallow:
The finish starts a bit dry and it has that salty touch again. It’s light and has a touch of bitter oak. It’s fairly sharp with pepper and oak, and that fennely thing.

This is one of the tastiest Tobermories I’ve had. The palate shows lots of clean bourbon cask influences and the vanilla is not so strong as to be ‘vanilla’ (as found on the interwebs: ‘plain and without any extras or adornments’). I love the spicy flavours that I get throughout tasting it, but it’s a shame those delicious coastal notes are not really present on the palate. Apart from that, top notch stuff, this!

Tobermory, Batch 1, 53.8%, That Boutique-y Whisky Company, £ 49.95 at Master of Malt.

Thanks to Master of Malt for the official sample!