Tomatin Legacy

The Tomatin Legacy – which is a NAS release – refers to the important historical contribution that the distillery did for the town of the same name. It was the founding of the distillery that put the town on the map. Dozens of families came to live around the distillery, since it became their employer. The nose is very sweet on vanilla and coconut with fresh touches of citrus. A truckload of juicy honey adds to that sweetness. It also offers up a lovely dose of caramel. It is not complex (at all), but very summery and pleasant. Wonderfully oily. It rolls silky soft across the tastebuds. There is a little spiciness present as if from pepper and some liquorice. The fruit of the nose returns, although the emphasis is now on citrus. Some fresh green apples surface. The finish is very short and shows a bitterness at the death. A very quaffable Tomatin with no frills. Typical drinking dram that will put a smile on your face if you are sipping it on a summery terrace (like me, writing these notes in the French Provence by the poolside in 30°C weather). Oh, feel free to add a cube of ice.

Nose: vibrant vanilla, caramel sauce, diced pears in syrup. Sweet and fruity, with a creamy, rich warmth. Enticing!

Taste: this is a lighter style of Scotch but it still comes across with a rich caramel sweetness followed by fruity citrus notes and a bit of oaky spice. There is a liveliness to the flavour that is only somewhat tempered by a touch of youthful bitterness. Easy-drinking but immensely satisfying nonetheless.

Finish: a bit on the short side but free of bitterness. Quite pleasant.

Balance: I rather enjoyed this more than the 12 year old sherry finish. Tastes like a well-crafted Scotch which might be too light and sweet for some, but for me it is a welcome addition at a modest price. A winner!

So, is the Tomatin Legacy a "rotten tomato?" No, not quite, but it's not a good scotch, either. I only paid $30 for the bottle, so it's not as if I feel cheated.

When it comes to Scotch, you get what you pay for . . . at least on the bottom rung of the price ladder. Go up a few rungs, and, well, things change. I've tasted $65 bottles that destroy $125 bottles in terms of quality, satisfaction and elegance. But that's another story. We're on the bottom rung of the ladder with this bottle of Legacy perched in front of me n my desk, so I will proceed with the tasting notes.

Appearance: A nice immaculate gold, most likely with the help of E150a.

Nose: Needs time in glass. Curdled butter, rancid coconut, stale butterscotch, sour barley, maple syrup on fresh granola.

Palate: Baby puke, astringent initial grip on taste buds followed by a "miller lite" finish with generous (or not so generous depending upon how you look a it) hints of the nose.

Finish: A lot like the nose. Short and flat. Bitter gets into a wrestling match with sickly sweet. Sickly sweet wins. Reeeeeady to ruuuuuuummmmmbuuuull!

At 43% this watery-thin stuff doesn't need any more h2o.

If you buy a bottle of the Legacy, do yourself a favor and drink it on ice. I'm sure it's quite pleasant with ice and soda.

Neat? Uh, no. Not so much. Call me spoiled: I stocked up on a few bottles of Isle of Skye 12 year for $19 per bottle when the state liquor control racket phased out the 12 in favor of the 8, which actually sells for more today than the 12 did on clearance (it's long gone now). Isle of Skye 12 is what I've been serving my guests who don't have much appreciation for scotch and pretty much just chug it.

The Isle of Skye 12 blows the doors off Legacy. Hands down. I'm going to save the rest of my Skye and use up this bottle of Legacy for the same purpose. It will be gone in about three or four more months of after dinner drinks with "whisky heathen" friends who can't learn the fine art of sipping a scotch and appreciating it. C'est la vie.

For the money, next time I will go with bourbon and pick up a bottle of Buffalo Trace or Elmer T. Lee. When it comes to scotch, in Oregon, you really can't get a very good bottle for under $40. There is one secret bottle that I can get for $30, but Legacy ain't it.