Yesterday we had the first post of Tom’s visit to Dornoch distillery, and some samples that he tried more recently. Today there are a couple more. Let’s dive straight in!

We continue our tasting of some fine Dornoch single malt whisky samples, with two vintage 2018 expressions. These are exciting times, because these whiskies will at one point be ‘old Dornoch’, as the Thompson brothers got permission to build a £7 million, eco-friendly distillery complex at Dornoch. There was a hiccup since the planned location is vulnerable to flooding, but apparently they worked it all out. So, here we raise a glass to being flooding by excellent Highland whisky in an already beloved authentic style.

Dornoch 4, 2018-2022, First Fill Bourbon Octave 90, 55.91%

Sniff:
Candied wood sticks. The smell of chewing on your pencil when you were still in high school. Forest for the trees, trees on their own, yeah… lots of wood! Covered in a sugary layer. With water a clear vanilla burst.

Sip:
Very balanced and solid mouthfeel. I remember the expressions from 2017 felt very oily and thick, but this feels more progressed, like the Thompson brothers tried something else which gave this a more – dare I say – commercial appearance. I was a bit frightened by the aromas that this would be a wood attack, but instead it has this heathery quality that I love in Highland whisky like Tomatin. With water an interesting development, towards strawberry Schogetten.

Swallow:
Clean and solid. That sums up this expression, quite simply. Water is not recommended but it helps you find a nice, dry barely note.

85/100

Maybe a bit one-dimensional, but extremely good in what it promises.

Dornoch 4, 2018-2022, First Fill Bourbon Octave 97, 56.3%

Sniff:
A familiar note of nail varnish that I have found in previous samples. Extremely candied impressions, like walking at the Summer carnival on a hot night. Vanilla, pencil shavings, and a nice dry malt tone as a basis. More delicate fruits after adding some water.

Sip:
Strong on wood spices but contrary to the previous sample this does have this more oily mouthfeel that makes you feel you are drinking old school whisky. The wood is cloying however, so we added a drop of water. Brings balance, but that never seems to be a problem with Dornoch whisky, but also we enjoy cinnamon and coffee with sugar.

Swallow:
Rewarding swallow, all on the woody notes.

86/100

All good and straightforward, but can’t help and conclude the 2017 vintages were more daring whiskies.

About Tom van Engelen

I’m a writer in a variety of fields and have a soft spot for whisky, mainly malt, mainly from Scotland. In other times I enjoyed a stint as editor-in-chief of one of the first whisky magazines in the world. When not sipping a good glass I like to write some more, read, watch 007 movies or listen Bowie music. I’m married to Dasha, I have a sweet daughter and I live somewhere between the big rivers in the middle of The Netherlands.