Tomatin 12 Year Old Sherry Cask Whisky

With twelve active stills and an output of around 5 million litres/year Tomatin is one of the largest distilleries in the Highlands. Yet at one point in the 1970s it was the largest distillery in Scotland: founded in 1897, the real expansion at Tomatin took place between 1956 and 1974, during which period the number of stills increased from 2 to 23.

These 23 stills gave the distillery a capacity of 12 million litres – meaning it was (in production terms at least) larger even than Roseisle, Diageo’s new mega-distillery. However, 11 of Tomatin’s stills were dismantled in the 1980s during the whisky crisis which forced the distillery into bankruptcy and liquidation. Enter the Japanese to save the day.

These days, much of Tomatin’s output is sold to other companies for blending, but there is also a range of well-priced single malts, including a 12 yo, 18yo, 25yo and occasional vintage bottlings. Independent releases are occasionally spotted as well. Michael Jackson describes the house style as ‘Malty, spicy, rich. Restorative or after dinner’.

12yo Sherry Cask

A new addition to its core range in 2024, Tomatin 12 Year Old Sherry Cask builds upon the classic 12 Year Old but is instead fully matured in sherry casks for 12 years. The bottle design boasts lots of scarlet and gold to pay homage to the flavours imparted by the sherry wood during the cask maturation process.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Caramelised apple, pear, sultana, orange peel, apricot and hints of aged leather.

Palate: Chocolate fudge, manuka honey, dried fruit and nut.

Finish: Sweet and spicy cinnamon.