In the 1970’s, Tomatin was the biggest distillery in Scotland. In the 1980’s it went downhill and encountered some serious financial problems. After that, it was the first Scottish distillery to be acquired by a Japanese company. Nowadays it’s a healthy but rather small producer.

This 43 year-old Tomatin ‘Oat Mint’ is one of the oldest drams I was able to try so far. The price (around € 175) is relatively low considering its age.

Tomatin 1965 ‘Oat Mint’
(48,1%, Daily Dram 2009, 210 btl.)

Nose: wonderfully creamy and fruity. It reminds me of a baby fruit puree (banana, apple, orange and a “Vitabis” grain cookie – delicious). Honey. Some frangipane and vanilla. Fresh flowers. Mango. Waxy notes and quite some mint as well. Great how the anagram really works here. Excellent complexity. Mouth: less fruity, much more spices. Nutmeg, mint again, vanilla, pepper, cinnamon. Still some banana, peach and strawberry candy. Oaky, but in a really mellow way. Finish: again some oak and spices (cinnamon and cloves). Hints of bergamot. Long, warm aftertaste.

Very punchy for its age. Great stuff.

Score: 90/100

ps/ Three new Daily Dram releases coming up.
A Caol Ila, a Highland Park and a Auchroisk 34yo (“Auk’s Choir”).