You can read all about the Five Virtues Series here, as well as the Tomatin Water. I don’t feel like rehashing the marketing story. What I do like, is the fact that you can request the recipe for this whisky via the website.
When I did, I received an automated email with the recipe for all five releases from the Five Virtues Series. However, Tomatin also requests to not share the recipes on blogs (or other public forums), as to fully comply with EU regulations.
What I will tell you is that Tomatin Water is made up of 50% sherry hogsheads and 50% 2nd fill ex-bourbon casks. It’s not against the law to share that kind of information. I won’t tell you about the vintages used for Tomatin Water, except for that it isn’t a stereotypical 6 or 7 year old NAS whisky. Kudos to Tomatin, as it is a few years older indeed.
Tomatin Water (46%, OB, ‘Five Virtues Series’)
Nose: Fresh and vibrant fruits at first. Citrus-y, yet with some stone fruits as well. Then it becomes sweeter, with hints of honey comb, caramel and coffee beans as well.
Taste: More coffee-like flavours, like espresso and cappuccino, so somewhat bitter. Hints of burnt caramel and dark chocolate, as well as cloves and a bit of oak too.
Finish: Lingering dark chocolate.
Score: 85
I can see this being a divisive whisky. If you don’t like a certain bitterness, I’d stay away. However, I’m quite taken by this flavour profile. Proper stuff indeed.
Photo: The Whisky Exchange
