Tormore was part of the growth of Scotch whisky in the 1950s and 1960s, and was established in 1961. So it’s not young, as it is much older than all the new distilleries that have popped up over the last five, six or seven years. But it’s not old either, as most Scotch whisky distilleries are from the 18th century.
It doesn’t have much of a reputation as a single malt, no matter how much the Tormore4 sing its praises. An independent bottling pops up every now and again though, such as this Tormore 1995 23 Years Old from Gordon & MacPhail. It has matured in a first-fill sherry butt.
Tormore 1995 23 Years Old (60.1%, Gordon & MacPhail, Batch 18/096)
Nose: Honey-glazed apple, fennel and fudge, with a touch of cherry syrup, Port stewed pears and burlap. Nice fruity, (not overtly) sweet stuff. There’s a whiff of brown sugar as well. A pretty active cask, but not yet overpowering.
Taste: Dangerously drinkable despite its extreme abv. Plenty of fudge, caramel and a fair amount of honey-drizzled figs. There’s a slight acidity, but not enough to balance out the sweetness. The cask does start to dominate here.
Finish: Hints of oranges and dark chocolate. Long.
Score: 85
It lacks a little balance to justify a higher score, but I’m convinced that if you enjoy juicy, sweet sherry matured whisky, that this is in your wheelhouse.
Sample provided by Gordon & MacPhail
