NV Tomintoul, 25YO, 43%
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Tasting notes
This is very aromatic, scented with citrus peel, rose Turkish delight, florist shop, honeycomb, candied orange halves, pear, and gentle wood spices. The palate is initially fruity, showing citrus, dried apple, and star fruit before becoming moreishly creamy, with vanilla, malt, Oreos, and oak tannins, leaving a finish of cocoa, pretty spices, and residual fruitiness.
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Jim Murray, Whisky Bible
Whisky Advocate
More reviews and scores
The day has just begun and the sun is barely up. But I will be hard pushed to find a more quaint and gorgeously balanced nose between now and sunset. The aroma would not be out of place in the garden outside my window, a sensual breeze of orange blossom and floral scents. Ulmo honey thinly spread on toast is about as heavy as it gets; no less subtle is the array of sweet notes on delivery, melting, meringue-like, into every crevice; the malt at times stacks up to make a short Speyside-themed speech; bitters slightly, though to no great detriment, as the oak quietly takes command. The malt and vague fruitiness drifts inexorably to the finale; a quiet masterpiece from one of Scotland’s criminally underappreciated great distilleries.
This is the oldest core expression of Tomintoul’s Gentle Dram, now available in the U.S. It is a classic of this style of Speyside single malt. Peaches, malt, honey, vanilla, and developing floral notes on the nose. Full-bodied, with ripe apples, cocoa, milky coffee, honey, vanilla, and soft spices. Spicy and drying, with plain chocolate in the relatively lengthy, mellow finish. Spring 2017, Gavin Smith, www.whiskyadvocate.com