We go five years back in time with a Distillery Exclusive Release from Tobermory. Bottled after a respectable 19 years of maturation, this Tobermory received a finish a Spanish sherry cask.
I’m not sure what kind of cask the whisky had matured in up until that point, but it either had to be a sherry cask as well, or the finishing period was very long, or the finishing cask was extremely influential and active. Either way, expect a sherry bomb.
Tobermory 19 Years Old (58,2%, OB ‘Distillery Exclusive’)
Nose: Dry and intense sherry aromas, with a whisper of sulphur. Lots of dark chocolate and cocoa powder, as well as cranberries and blackberries. There’s thick molasses here too, with just a hint of cumin and violets. Very fragrant.
Taste: A syrupy texture, and quite dry as well. Some leather, aceto balsamico and plums, followed by intense dark chocolate. Quite the sherry bomb. Finally some pepper and cloves.
Finish: Dry, a pinch of pepper, some mild chocolate notes.
Rating: 87
I mean, it says Tobermory in the label, but this could’ve come from any which distillery. The sherry influence is intense, and masks any of the peculiar dirtiness that Tobermory is known for. While that could be a plus for me personally (as I’m not the biggest fan of their house style), I actually find it a bit of a shame.
But regardless of that, this is a true sherry bomb. Not über complex, but certainly big and bold, and chock full of all that makes the heart of a sherry matured whisky lover skip a beat.
