My friend Tom, who goes by Tomatin on any media that is whisky focused, did a wee bottle share of this a while ago. A Tomatin that worked really well for him up to a level that he wants a second bottle.

A whisky nerd wanting a second bottle of something is quite special, because that money can also go to something new, and something new is always what we’re looking for. Imagine that!

Anyway, except for pricing, even back in 2015, Tomatin Distillery Exclusives are generally pretty solid bottles that show the light distillery spirit in combination with rather focused cask influences quite well. PX is sweeter and less spicy than Oloroso, bourbon shows the vanilla and coconut, and so on.

Let’s dive in and see where this one takes us!

Sniff:
There is not a little bit of Sherry in this one! Slightly leathery with dried dates and plums. The chewy kind of dried fruits. It’s rather woody, but still somehow a bit light. There’s a whiff of menthol in the background.

Sip:
The palate isn’t too sharp, even when it’s the first dram of the day. There’s a certain dryness with sawdust, plum stones and ground almonds. Some dates that add a bit of sweetness, and a grist like texture and flavor too.

Swallow:
The finish is a lot more gentle, with the sweetness being a little bit more prominent, and the bitter notes take a step back. Very similar to the nose, as usual, with more light notes of leather. The menthol isn’t here, though.

Decent, with a lot of sherry. There’s not a lot of distillery character left, except for the lightness of the spirit. It does carry the sherry rather well, though! Pretty tasty!

87/100