The Whiskyphiles

Tomatin

tomatin-distillery

History Although it is thought that whisky has been distilled on the site since the 16th century, when cattle drivers would buy from a local still, the distillery was not established until 1897, under the name of Tomatin Spey Distillery Co Ltd. The company went bankrupt in 1906, and reopened under new ownership in 1909. After the liquidation of its owners in 1986, it was taken over by Japanese conglomerate Takara Shuzo and was renamed Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd. The distillery operated with only two stills until 1958. Starting at that time, they began to add stills to increase production capacity, eventually reaching production of twelve million litres of whisky per year during the 1970s. Although in 1987 Tomatin was referred to as the largest malt distillery in Scotland, stills have been dismantled since the mid-1980s, bringing their total capacity to just over five million litres, though as of 2007, they were only producing 2.5 million litres.

Around eighty percent of Tomatin’s whisky goes into blended whisky, including its own brands of Antiquary and Talisman. The distillery, as of late, has been making an effort to bolster its name as a producer of single malts and is expanding its core range. In 2003, Tomatin’s basic 10-year-old malt was replaced by the 12-year-old. In 2009, a 15 Year was added to the line-up, which also includes an 18-year-old and a 25-year-old. Other limited releases are often made, including a 30-year, a 40-year and single-cask offerings. Recently, the distillery has begun to produce a lightly peated single malt called Cu Bocan.

The Whiskyphiles tasting notes

Official Bottling
  • tomatin-cu-bocan-whisky Cù Bòcan (2013) – Tomatin Cù Bòcan (46%, OB, Peated, 2013) Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Tomatin Distillery Bottling: Takara Shuzo ABV: 46%  Cost: £34.43 What they say: Lightly peated [15ppm] single malt matured in a compelling combination of Virgin Oak, Bourbon and Sherry casks. Non chill filtered and batch release of 6000 bottles per year. This […]
  • Cù Bòcan The Sherry Edition (2015) – Cù Bòcan – The Sherry Edition (46%, OB, 2015) Highland single malt scotch whisky 46% ABV, £45 for 70cl Score: 83/100   What they say: Cù Bòcan is matured in a combination of Sherry, Virgin Oak and Bourbon casks. This exclusive limited edition, launched in September 2014, showcases the influence that Sherry has on our […]
  • Cu Bocan Signature (2022) – A soft and accessible as befitting a peated Tomatin. A touch woody in places from the Virgin Oak casks perhaps but well constructed with an array of flavours complimenting this soft Highland Malt with a smoky edge. 83/100
  • Tomatin Tomatin 11 Years Old 2003 Single Cask 1903 (2015) – Tomatin 11 Years Old 2003 – Distillery Exclusive (56.3%, OB, Bourbon Cask #1903,2014) Highland single malt scotch whisky 56.3% ABV, £75 for 70cl Score:  83/100 What they say: Distilled in 2003 at the Tomatin distillery, this bottle-your-own expression is exclusively available at the Tomatin distillery visitor centre. Matured for 11 years in an ex-bourbon cask […]
  • Tomatin-12-Years-Old-single-malt-scotch-whisky Tomatin 12 Years Old (2014) – Tomatin 12 Years Old (40%, OB, 2014) Highland single malt scotch whisky 40% ABV [may be rising to 43% next year], RRP £33.99 for 70cl. Score: 81/100 What they say: The Tomatin 12 year old has been the flagship malt for the distillery since 2003 when it replaced the 10 year old. Made from spirit matured for at […]
  • Tomatin Tomatin 12 Years Old 2003 Single Cask 2036 (2015) – Tomatin 12 Years Old 2003 Distillery Exclusive (57.7%, OB, Sherry Cask #2036, 2015) Highland single malt scotch whisky 57.7% ABV, £85 for 70cl Score:  82/100 What they say: Distilled in 2002 at the Tomatin distillery, this bottle-your-own expression is exclusively available at the Tomatin distillery visitor centre. Matured for 12 years in an ex-Sherry cask […]
  • Tomatin 12 Years Old 2008 Cognac Edition (2021) – Soft and sugary, the Cognac casks have highlighted the gentle fruits and florals and added some soft spices and gentle oak tannins which are a perfect complement for Tomatin’s gentle spirit character. 85/100
  • Tomatin 14 Year Old Port Wood Finish (2014) – Tomatin 14 Year Old Port Wood Finish (46%, OB, 2014) 46% ABV, £48.95 Score: 80/100 What they say: Added to the core range in 2014, this whisky is soft and smooth with significant sweet influence from the Port casks. After spending time maturing in traditional oak casks, this particular Tomatin spends the last year of […]
  • tomatin-14-year-old-2002-px-cask-hf Tomatin 14 Years Old 2002 Single Cask 34915 (2016) – Tomatin 14 Years Old 2002 PX Cask #34915 Distillery Exclusive (54%, OB, PX Cask #34915, 2016) Whisky Review Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Tomatin Distillery Bottling: Takara Shuzo, Hand-fill distillery only ABV: 58.2% Cost: £90 What they say: Distilled in 2002 at Tomatin Distillery this handfill distillery only selected ex-Pedro Ximenez cask was […]
  • Tomatin-15-Years-Old-single-malt-scotch-whisky Tomatin 15 Years Old (2014) – Tomatin 15 Years Old (43%, OB, 2014) Highland single malt scotch whisky 43% ABV, RRP £45.99 for 70cl. (Discontinued) Score: 85/100 What they say: The newest edition to the standard range was released in August 2009. Soft and delicate, with significant influence from the North American oak. Tasting notes: Nose: Light and fresh, with delicate […]
  • Tomatin 15 Years Old 2003 Moscatel Finish (2020) – Tomatin 15 Years Old 2003 Moscatel whisky review: Flavourful and rich, balanced sweetness and oak and some lovely bright fruits in here. Tomatin’s spirit is quite delicate  and this enhancement complements it well. 86/100
  • Tomatin-18-Years_old-single-malt-scotch-whisky Tomatin 18 Years Old (2014) – Tomatin 18 Years Old (46%, OB, 2014) Highland single malt scotch whisky 46% ABV, RRP £58.99 for 70cl Score: 86/100 What they say: Introduced to the market in 2006, this malt has become a firm favourite among connoisseurs world wide. Cask matured in Re fill American Oak Casks and finished for 18 months in Spanish […]
  • Tomatin-30-Years-Old-single-malt-scotch-whisky Tomatin 30 Years Old (2014) – Tomatin 30 Years Old (46%, OB, 2014) Highland single malt scotch whisky 46% ABV, RRP £132.99 for 70cl Score: 92/100 What they say: A rich and elegant non chill filtered single malt with intense fruity aromas which develop in the mouth alongside some more robust spices which emanate from the combination of American and European […]
  • tomatin-cask-strength-57-point-5-percent-whisky Tomatin Cask Strength (2018) – Tomatin Cask Strength Whisky Review: Zesty but not overly exuberant or young, this carries water well and retains much of its complexity even when reduced. More wood than spirit characteristics perhaps reflecting the lighter nature of Tomatin. 83/100
  • tomatin-decades-whisky Tomatin Decades (2017) – Nicely balanced fruity a hints of hidden depths of oak and zest, subtle elements of tropical fruit, smoke and oak too. 86/100
  • Tomatin-Legacy-single-malt-scotch-whisky Tomatin Legacy (2014) – Tomatin Legacy (43%, OB, 2014) Highland single malt scotch whisky 43% ABV, RRP £24.99 for 70cl Score: 75/100 What they say: New to the market, this whisky is the brainchild of the new master distiller at Tomatin, released to showcase the recent changes in distillation practices and taking the pace of the new entry level […]
Independent Bottling
Cadenhead
  • Tomatin35yo1978 Tomatin 35 Years Old 1978 Small Batch (2014) – Tomatin 35 Years Old 1978 Small Batch (44.1%, Cadenheads, Small Batch, Bourbon HHs, 594 Bottles, 2013) 44.1% ABV £160 for 70cl Score: 85/100 What they say: Nose Rhubarb, butterscotch and aniseed. Barley sugar and bubblegum Palate Strawberry tarts, banana sweets, chocolate covered raisins and icing sugar. A rather pleasing rich middle palate. Finish The finish […]
Douglas Laing
  • tomatin-20-year-old-1994-cask-10442-old-particular-douglas-laing-whisky Tomatin 20 Year Old 1994 Old Particular 10442 (2016) – Tomatin 20 Year Old 1994 Old Particular (46.8%, Douglas Laing, Refill HH #10442, 282 Bottles, 2014) Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky Origin: Tomatin Distillery Bottling: Douglas Laing; Old Particular ABV: 46.8% Cost: £97.18 What they say: Douglas Laing’s “Old Particular” is a particularly unique series of individually hand-selected aged Single Cask Malts’ and Single […]
Gordon & MacPhail
  • Tomatin-2007-Discovery-GM Tomatin 2007 Discovery (2018) – Tomatin 2007 Discovery Highland single malt Scotch whisky review: A creamy dessert-filled expression, this is so redolent of banana split I expected twice the calories of a standard whisky! Fresh bananas and masses of ‘Bourbon’ flavours such as vanilla and coconut add a mass of sweetness to the palate of this whisky, which was simply delicious. 85/100
Lockett Bros
  • Tomatin 19 Year Old 1994 Fidra Lockett Bros Tomatin 19 Year Old 1994 Fidra (Lockett Bros) (2014) – ‘Fidra’ Tomatin 19 Year Old 1994 (55.5%, Lockett Bros, Refill HH #12351, 2013) 55.5% ABV, £69.99 for 70cl Score: 85/100 What they say: A sweet, buttery Tomatin, distilled in 1994 and aged in a refill hogshead for 19 years before bottling in November 2013. A lovely little 20cl bottle in the latest in our Island […]
Scotch Malt Whisky Society
  • SMWS 11.32 bottle SMWS 11.32 Cirque De Saveur (2017) – Tomatin 8 Years Old 2008 11.32 Cirque De Saveur (61.6%, SMWS, Bourbon Barrel, 252 Bottles, 2016) Category: Highland single malt Scotch Whisky Origin: Tomatin Distillery Bottling: Scotch Malt Whisky Society ABV: 61.6% Cost: £48 sold out shop for similar at SMWS What They say: Cask No. 11.32 An acrobatic spectacular, as fresh and vibrant aromas of cut grass, […]
That Boutique-Y Whisky Company
  • Tomatin-11-Year-Old-Batch-4-TBWC Tomatin 11 Years Old Batch 4 (2020) – Tomatin 11 Years Old Batch 4 Whisky Review: A rather soft, sugary and fruity expression, for me a great example of the delicacy of Tomatin’s superb spirit nature. 84/100