Tomintoul 16 Year Old

I was suppose to taste these whiskies as part of a virtual tasting lead by Tomintoul Master Distiller Robert Fleming, but I suppose I missed something when I signed up for the tasting, because I don't think I would have registered knowing it was happening at 11am on a Tuesday. I'm dedicated, but not that dedicated. What follows then is my impressions of these whiskies.

The bottle reads "Tomintoul Speyside Glenlivet" which may lead to some confusion. As far as I know there is no corporate marriage between Tomintoul and Glenlivet. There is a history of other Speyside distilleries using a hyphenated "Glenlivet" name but the legal details aren't really that interesting to me. According to Tomintoul's website this is aged exclusively in ex-bourbon casks, something that's far too rare these days in my humble opinion.

• Nose (undiluted): a bit shy at first, honey, green apples, some banana, pears
• Palate: richer than I expected, a bit creamy (if only it were bottled at a higher abv ! ), nutty (hazelnuts), vanilla, toffee, more pears
• Finish: medium length, malty, a touch of citrus zest (lemons and oranges), a bit of vanilla custard lingers
• Thoughts: If I'm drinking unpeated whisky, this type of dram is right in my wheelhouse. The distillate character is present, the whisky is gentle (a little too gentle at 40% abv) yet it isn't invisible.

Disappointing

For this age of whisky this is gossamer light malt. A duty free offering at 40%, felt slightly short changed by the percentage, but the age was reassuring. Anyway what does it taste like, that’s the most important thing. Nose: Linseed oil, leather and vanilla. Sounds like a description of a perfume.
Taste: Very light in body, cereal malt vanilla, linseed again and hints of citrus. No sherry cask influence here Finish: Short fresh and salty.

The nose is rancid and sharp: I am getting an overriding sense of apple cider vinegar and lemon rinds. The palate is better with warm barley malt, hay, grass . . . ah heck, I can't go on . . . this stuff is a sorry excuse for a single malt scotch in this age and price range. Don't buy it unless you can get it for less than $40 (American dollar).

I would much rather drink The MacTarnahan (9 year Glenfarclas with fake coloring and merely oak casks with nothing to season the wood) and The Mac costs $30 here in Oregon. It's called the "Modern Spirit." Nice one. Well, it's not bad for the money. A far cry better than this bottle of Tomintoul 16 that I've got open on my desk as I type these words.

I opened it yesterday, so it's fairly new to the world of fresh air. If it improves with oxidation as the level goes down, I will amend my dreary verdict here. This will be my "offer to the scotch heathen" guests bottle. They will see the 16 Year on the label and feel privileged. Me? I would rather drink a dram of Mac 9 mixed with a smidge of Longrow Gaja Barolo. It mixes shockingly well together and costs a good deal less than this Tomintoul.

So . . . you might be wondering why I am so blunt tonight in my review. Well, my next door neighbor brought her dog over to my front porch and the bloody fleas from that neurotic hair ball crept into my house! It's a first for me. I've never had any trouble before. My dog, named Islay, by the way, is a Basenji without an undercoat, so there isn't much hair for a flea to hide in.

At present, they are trying to colonize her hide! Good gracious, now my poor dog, my wife and myself are suffering from the horrors of a minor infestation. I needed a respite from this madness and all I got was a bottle of sour malt and the accompanying winces that go with it, especially at a price tag of $75 (American dollars).

Tonight, I took my little book down from the book shelf that I packed back from Tate Gallery in London when I was 19 in the Year of Our Lord 1987. I do admire the watercolor entitled, "Ghost of a Flea." Gazing upon the strangeness of that grimoire of a printed acid etching plate with watercolors atop the etching is more satisfying than choking down this vinegary dram of Tomintoul 16.

At any rate, here's toasting to your good health, and pest free lives, fellow drammers. Better luck than yours truly at Ye Olde Liquor Store, eh. . . .

The color on this is golden honey like jewel quality amber (it spent some time in a sherry cask). The nose is floral almost like a ladies perfume. I got the image of laundry drying on a line in a field of lavender when I inhaled deeply. The flavor was robust but balanced with wonderful honey notes. Unfortunately, the distillery has changed hands since this bottling, so who’s to say what the future will hold for Tomintoul.