For me, Tormore is one of the lesser known distilleries. It is a relatively new distillery being constructed in 1959 – apparently the first distillery built in Scotland in the 20th Century. Sufficed to say, I never tried a Tomore so I didn’t know what to expect from this bottling.
Gordon and Macphail Reserve Tormore
Distilled 1997, Bottled 2009 at 43%ABV
1st fill Bourbon Barrel, Cask No. 6397
Color: Light gold
Nose: Ripe green apples, white peaches, surprisingly boozy, an odd wisp of mint that was totally unexpected
Palate: Mint steps up initially, malty, multitude of different spices, aggressive up front the smooths out, heavy oak and char. I was expecting more bourbon notes from a first fill barrel.
Finish: Medium-long, spices and oak.
Comments: A feisty whisky that took me by surprise. The flavors that I was finding were really unique. I went back to it again later and still picked up those notes. I guess that is what happens when you try a single cask from a distillery that you are not familiar with. Hope to expand my whisky horizons with more unique expressions. – Chris