One from a few years ago. The Tomatin 1990 30 Years was part of The Whisky Agency‘s Winter 2020 collection. Kindly shared by Teun at the time, I’ve reviewed a few others from the same outturn over the years. They were most excellent. This Tomatin should be good as well.

I’ve never really gotten into modern Tomatin. Say, the distillery’s core range for example. There’s good whisky to be had, but nothing that has stood out to me. (I love the distillery though.) But older Tomatin can be a sight to behold. Vintage 1976 is legendary, but I’m not expecting wonders today. Pure, older-style single malt will do just fine, thank you very much.

Tomatin 1990 30 Years (48.9%, The Whisky Agency, 180 bts.)

Nose: Just the tiniest whiff of beeswax, along with apricot marmalade, stewed apples, Galia melon, pear skin and just a tinge of pineapple. Also subtle notes of chalk and just a tinge of wet pebbles, while some floral touches linger in the background.
Taste: Delicate mouthfeel. But the fruits are very much present. Pretty much a continuation of the fruity nose, yet the wood is a little more present. Some oak spices and tannins make an appearance.
Finish: On the shorter side of medium. Losing some steam here. Grassy, damp oak and subtle spices.

Conclusion

Loooots to like here. Especially the fruits are uniquely Tomatin. Okay, maybe not uniquely, but at least a hallmark of the old Tomatin style. Why not a higher score? This release might almost be too subtle and delicate. A little more oomph and a longer finish would've elevated it to a higher level.

8.8

Photo: Whiskybase