Tomintoul 16 Year Old

Floral, Nutty, Hay Like
2023-02-19

Tomintoul's single malts are known to be among the lighter, smoother - and, as some would say, old-fashioned and boring - Speyside malts. Perhaps because of this and the high demand for intense and powerful Scotches, the distillery flies under the radar of most people.

Smell

Well-ordered, orange, hazelnut and dried fruit are found as base aromas. In the background, malty-grainy and slightly floral (daisies?) notes are distributed. We also find some bitter orange, honey and oats, which are infused and character-building.

Taste

The goal is quite clear. This whisky from the Speyside wants to be soft and velvety. Buttercrossaint and toasted sesame, as well as light citrus notes we find alongside a little toasted oak, marzipan (almonds) and walnut nuttiness. A little white pepper here and there, and that's it.

Finish

This malt finishes medium-bodied, clean and warming, with almond, oat and oak tones.

Thoughts

The 16 year old standard bottling from the Tomintoul distillery is significantly better than the 2 year younger bottling and it only costs a little more. The malt has no off notes, is well balanced and has a clean and clear (not too exciting) profile. Tastes good and is quite enjoyable, yet we get the feeling that there is a reason why the distillery produces primarily for blends. What the whisky does, namely being conceived and produced in a way that does not particularly highlight the spirit or the cask, but takes a broad mass approach, it does well - but at the same time the whole thing is rather generic.

Rating: 76/100 - Very Good (Marcel: 76 | Sascha: 75)

Value for Money: 3/5 - Acceptable

Preview Image Source: The Whisky Exchange