Tobermory 23yo, 1996-2020, Old Particular
ABV: 46.7%
Region: Highlands
Price per bottle: °°°
Bottling: Douglas Laing
Cask type: Refill Hogshead (# DL13910, 216 btl.)

 

Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Malty sweetness with cereal notes and vanilla cream, accompanied by fruity notes of green apples, nectarines and yellow plums, with some orange lemonade in the back.
Palate: Sweet notes of cookies and yellow fruits before a warming spiciness of ginger and pepper takes over. Once this warmth fades, fruity aromas of nectarine and yellow plum emerge, accompanied by creamy vanilla, brown sugar and milk chocolate.
Finish: The finish is long lasting with a toffee sweetness, creamy fruit jam, some orange and a touch of dry oak towards the end.
With water: After adding a few drops of water, the nose becomes much more fruity with apricot, peach and mirabelle, and also more vanilla. Still sweet on the palate with creamy fruit jam. The spiciness is significantly tamed. In addition, there is toffee, vanilla and raisins, accompanied by a very light warmth. The finish is still long with orange marmalade, creamy mirabelle fruit and some milk chocolate.
Comments: A quite extraordinary fruity Tobermory. No sign of the 'dirty' notes that are often found within these bottlings. This single cask single malt is multi-faceted and very elegant, with a great combination of yellow fruit and warming spices. A well matured island whisky that I like very much.

 

I thank Douglas Laing  for the photograph!


Tobermory 11yo, 2008-2019, PX Sherry Claxton's
ABV: 54.2%
Region: Highlands
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Claxton's (exclusively bottled for deinwhisky.de)
Cask type:
1st Fill Pedro Ximenez Sherry Octave Finish (#1981-52B, 68 btl.)

 

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Notes of raisins, sherry, red berries and oranges on the nose, accompanied by a nice sweetness. This is followed by dark chocolate, black tea, cocoa and a touch of floral aromas with a whiff of cigar box in the background.
Palate: Sweet and creamy on the palate with brown sugar, dates and raisins. Warming with a slightly alcoholic spiciness, accompanied by nutmeg, cinnamon and a little spicy oak.
Finish: The finish shows a beautiful length with increasingly dry aromas of nutmeg, nut, cocoa and oak spice.
With water: Less sweetness on the nose after adding a few drops of water. More oak spice, cocoa, grapefruit and tobacco notes come to the fore. Sweet and creamy on the palate at first, but becomes increasingly peppery and prickling on the tongue with bitter orange and a touch of grapefuit. The finish is still long and dry with notes of oak, cocoa, some pepper and tobacco leaves.
Comments: A tasty, complex Tobermory from a PX Sherry Octave. Sweet aromas, dark fruit and dry cocoa notes are in harmony with spicy oak and a touch of cigar box. Typical aromas from a PX Sherry cask maturation, which in comparison to the Oloroso bottling of the same age, are significantly drier and less sweet. Very well drinkable without water.

 

I thank deinwhisky.de for the complimentary sample and the photograph!


Tobermory 11yo, 2008-2019, Claxton's
ABV: 55.3%
Region: Highlands
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Claxton's (exclusively bottled for deinwhisky.de)
Cask type:
Oloroso Sherry Octave (#1981-52C, 69 btl.)

 

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Pleasant sweetness on the nose with sherry aromas, raisins, dates and a little fruity blood orange. This is accompanied by vanilla cream, brown sugar and cinnamon. In the background some oak spice with nutmeg and a hint of salt. Very pleasant indeed.
Palate: The sweetness initially dominates on the palate with raisins, dates and dark toffee. Then becomes a little drier and warmer with dark chocolate. Notes of brown sugar, marzipan and some hazelnut nicely linger towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is long lasting, sweet and creamy with fruit jam, dark chocolate, some oak spice and nutmeg.
With water: With a few drops the single malt becomes a little more lively on the nose with sherry sweetness, vanilla and brown sugar. The alcohol is more noticeable. Still sweet and creamy on the palate with orange, chocolate covered biscuits, vanilla and a slightly warming peppery note. The finish is slightly shorter with sweet orange, cocoa and hazelnut flavours.
Comments: A wonderful, soft, creamy and sherried Tobermory. Round and harmonious without the typical "dirty Tobermory note" that usually disturbs me. The alcohol is wonderfully integrated. A palate flatterer for beautiful evenings.

 

I thank deinwhisky.de for the complimentary sample and the photograph!


Tobermory 9yo, 2020, Whic, Landscape of Taste
ABV: 65.3%
Region: Highlands
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: whic (Whiskycircle)
Cask type:
Sherry Cask (218 btl.)

 

Colour: Gold.
Nose: A restrained start. With time, notes of sherry and toffee arrive, followed by red apples and ripe peach. Honey with floral notes emerge, followed by nutmeg and cinnamon. Mineral and somewhat earthy towards the end.
Palate: Very strong on the palate and intensely warming. Here one clearly feels the 65% alcohol with peppery spiciness. Has a very dry and astringent effect. After this first shock for the taste buds, some fruity sweetness comes through, accompanied by dark chocolate, espresso notes and tobacco leaves.
Finish: The warming finish is long lasting, becoming slightly salty with increasingly bitter notes of unripe walnut and oak.
With water: After adding a splash of water, the nose reveals significantly more fruity aromas. Peach, honey and also more floral notes can be detected. In the background some oak spice and nutmeg. On the palate sweet and creamy, also a bit prickling, with honey, cinnamon, raisin and some pepper. Pleasantly warming and clearly tamed in the alcoholic spiciness. The finish is still long with honey, malt sugar and creamy fruit, without unpleasant bitter notes.
Comments: This young Tobermory is a real beast, which has to be tamed with water. Far too strong for me. The alcoholic pungency overwhelms the taste buds and suppresses the fruity aromas. So it can take a lot of water. Then you notice wonderfully fruity and sweet, creamy aromas, which are kept in beautiful balance by a pleasantly warming spiciness.

 

I thank whic (Whiskycircle) for the complimentary sample and the image!


Tobermory 21yo, 1995-2017, Whic, Sujet III
ABV: 48.6%
Region: Highlands (Isle of Mull)
Price per bottle: °°°
Bottling: whic (Whiskycircle)
Cask type:
American White Oak Hogshead, Sherry Octave Casks Finish for 8 Months (#328a-c, 231 btl.)

 

Colour: Bright amber.
Nose: There's immediately sherry on the nose, mixed with slightly earthy tones. Behind that lingering fruity notes emerge with grapes, red apples, peaches and a whiff of citrus. Oak spice is coming through with a pleasant mix of tobacco leaves, leather and subtle cinnamon.
Palate: Sweet and creamy start on the palate with honey and dark fruit jam, followed by red apples and cherries. Then slightly bitter notes of grape peel and tobacco leaves arrive, followed by a warming and tender astringent spiciness of pepper and oak. Becomes drier towards the finish with notes of dark chocolate, tobacco and cocoa.
Finish: The finish is long, warm and dry with tobacco leaves, espresso and oak. Subtle astringent with a touch of cherries on the tail.
With water: Fresher on the nose when a few drops of water are added. There's less fruitiness but more citric notes and oak are coming through. Water tames the sweetness on the palate while more citrus and grapes emerge. Less warming and spicy but still dry towards the finish. The finish is a bit shorter but stays dry with tobacco leaves, oak and dark chocolate. Hints of honey and cherries on the tail.
Comments: An intense and nicely complex Islander with a lovely sherry-derived character. Beautifully poised and well balanced. A rich, deep and well matured whisky with a vibrant character, especially on the palate. Refreshing when water is added, but also fairly dry. This one is a perfect post dinner dram.

 

I thank Arne Wesche from whic (Whiskycircle) for the sample and the photograph!


Tobermory 20yo, 1995-2016, WHIC
ABV: 55.8%
Region: Highlands (Isle of Mull)
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: WHIC - Whiskycircle
Cask type: Ex-Bourbon Hogshead (90 btl.)

 

Colour: Dark straw.
Nose: Shy at first. With time, sweet and slightly floral notes develop on the nose with vanilla, butterscotch and a pleasant fruitiness of apricots and peaches. Hints of pepper nicely linger with oak, hey and grassy notes in the back. The alcohol is always present but by no means pungent.
Palate: Rich and voluminous on the palate! Delicate vanilla and sweet barley sugar mixed with cereals and fragrant yellow fruits - apricots and peaches. This is accompanied by a fairly warming spiciness of oak and nutmeg, with a hint of earthy notes in the back. Lovely mouthfilling!
Finish: The finish shows medium length with nicely warming flavours of spiced oak. Sweet and tender fruity with vanilla, apricot jam and a dry touch of chocolate and hints of salt on the tail.
With water: Water tames a bit of the sweetness and fruitiness on the nose bringing more spiced oak and hints of tobacco leaves to the fore. Creamy, sweet and tender fruity on the palate with a significantly tamed warming spiciness. The finish is a bit shorter but shows lovely sweet, malty and fruity flavours with a touch of earthy notes, tobacco leaves and spiced oak on the tail.
Comments: This is a delicate, rich and beautifully poised dram. Despite that shy opening, everything is well balanced. Intense and complex on the palate. A full-bodied malt which develops over time in the glass. Quite close to my favoured style of Bourbon cask matured whisky. This Tobermory works pretty well for me - either neat or diluted.

 

I thank Arne Wesche from Whic.de for the sample and the photograph!


Tobermory 20yo, 1994-2014, Heidelberg Highlands
ABV: 51.1%
Region: Highlands (Isle of Mull)
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Heidelberg Highlands
Cask type: Bourbon Hogshead (#188063)

 

Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Pleasant flavours of sweet vanilla, butterscotch, custard and a touch of lemon. Fruity notes of pears and apricots emerge, lingering with gentle spiced oak in the back.
Palate: Elegantly sweet and fruity on the palate with pears and apricot jam, complemented by a warming spiciness of oak, white pepper and caramelised ginger. Vanilla and fruity elements of peaches and bananas emerge, pleasantly followed by a herbal touch and a whiff of sea salt towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is long, sweet at first with a creamy touch of vanilla, before slightly bitter notes of herbs and a dry touch of chocolate take over.
With water: More creamy and sweet on the nose with a splash of water. Lovely notes of vanilla and yellow fruits are quite prominent here. There's more spiciness coming through on the palate, but well balanced with fruit and sweetness. The finish is long, creamy and sweet with slightly drying oak on the tail.
Comments: This is a lovely tasty Tobermory single malt! Beautifully aromatic and well balanced. A perfect bourbon cask maturation - harmonious and satisfying. One to sip and relax after a long and busy day.


Tobermory 20yo, 1995-2015, WHIC
ABV: 54.8%
Region: Highlands (Isle of Mull)
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: WHIC - Whiskycircle
Cask type: Bourbon Hogshead (#1241, 132 btl.)

 

Colour: Gold.
Nose: Pleasant and slightly discreet flavours of yellow fruit on the nose with apricots, melons, pears and yellow apples. Hints of vanilla emerge with lingering butter toffee and a whiff of marzipan, nicely mixed with a waxy touch of spiced oak in the back. The fruitiness becomes more prominent with time.
Palate: Rich and very aromatic! Inebriant fruitiness of peaches, apricots, ripe pears and yellow apples on the palate. Thick and creamy with subtle honey and vanilla. A slightly warming spiciness of oak, marzipan and subtle cinnamon arrives, lingering with white pepper, subtle pink grapefruit and green walnuts towards the finish. Lovely mouth coating!
Finish: The finish is long, sweet and creamy. Becomes significantly dry on the tail with oaky tannins, and subtle notes of nutmeg and gingerbread.
With water: There's more citric fruit coming through on the nose with a splash of water, supported by vanilla and marzipan notes. Water tames a bit of the fruitiness and sweetness turning the whisky into a very dry one with reduced spicy flavours. The finish is medium long and dry with lots of oak, nutmeg and pepper.
Comments: A rich, deep and full-bodied whisky. Beautifully poised and balanced. A pleasant example of a good bourbon cask maturation. Enticing, elegant; a good companion for a cheesecake. Develops over time in the glass. This Tobermory works pretty well for me - but, no water please!

 

I thank Arne Wesche from Whic.de for sample and photograph!


Tobermory 20yo, 1994-2015, Wood Range - Sherry Cask
ABV: 57.8%
Region: Highlands (Isle of Mull)
Price per bottle: °°
Bottling: Cadenhead
Cask type: Sherry Casks (570 btl.)

 

Colour: Reddish gold.
Nose: The nose starts off with intense notes of prunes, dates, blackcurrant and alcohol. This is wrapped in a delicate mix of medicinal flavours, iodine, gunpowder and a whiff of sulphur. Very meaty indeed with subtle dry notes of cocoa in the back.
Palate: Oh yes, this is intense, bold and powerful with a lovely fruitiness of plums, blackcurrant and dried tangerine. A slightly dry note of leather, oak and tobacco is added to the delicate fruity sweetness. Cocoa and black pepper emerge, lingering nicely towards the warm and spicy finish.
Finish: A significantly long, warm and slightly dry finish with oaky tannins, leather and tobacco leaves. Interestingly, the lovely sweetness of prunes and raisins lingers with notes of dark chocolate and a whiff of cocoa on the tail.
With water: Water tames a bit of the sulphuric and medicinal note on the nose and sherry shines through, nicely accompanied by fruity flavours of red berries, cocoa, tobacco leaves and a delicate mix of allspice, oak and cloves. Sweet and fruity on the palate with plums, red berries and sherry, complimented by a spicy aroma of oak, cloves, pepper and allspice. The finish is long, creamy, malty and deliciously sweet with notes of raisins and dark chocolate on the tail.
Comments: This is a wonderful and well-matured Tobermory. The sherry cask works pretty well by adding powerful flavours and spices to this Island whisky. Not a sherry bomb but well balanced, and nothing is too dominant here. A vibrant character, especially on the palate. Neat it's a bit rough but I like it. This, however, is not for the faint hearted!