In June 2022 Elixir Distillers – the spirits company founded by ex-Whisky Exchange owners Rajbir and Sukhinder Singh – took over Tormore distillery from Pernod Ricard. Despite being one of the most visually stunning distilleries, their fame was not very big (except for a few legendary old bottlings). However we’re quite sure the Elixir team can elevate this brand and make its beautiful spirit shine. There is no question that the Singh brothers and master blender Oliver Chilton have ambitious plans for the distillery,
Recently they presented the Blueprint Cask Program, an official pre-release series with three expressions that showcase the building blocks of the future at Tormore. There is a 10 Year Old from bourbon barrels, toasted barrels and Cream sherry casks. I’m glad they selected a few of the more reliable cask types for this series (leaving room for the spirit) and not the wine casks used by many others. Each release focuses on a style of maturation that may form the structure of upcoming bottlings.
Let’s look at these three releases in anticipation of Tormore’s official brand relaunch in 2026.
Tormore 10 yo – Bourbon Barrel (48%, OB ‘Blueprint’ 2025, 1500 btl.)
Nose: bright and fresh. Peaches and other stone fruits, as well as lemon candy, sweetened lime juice and floral honey. Then a nice hint of vanilla marshmallows and light coconut, as well as greener fruit that start to appear. Some cooling mint and subtle herbs as well.
Mouth: a good texture, with a fairly classic Speyside start, which means more orchard fruits. Pear drops, white nectarines and some greener, leafier notes. Green melons, even a very faint tropical note. Mid-palate it shows a subtle bittersweet woody hint, with citrus zest, a faint toasted edge and hints of (dried) herbs. Light peppery heat and subtle caramelized notes too.
Finish: medium, with citrus fruits, herbal honey and light oak spice.
Beautiful fruity notes and a classic brightness are the key assets here. The wood is well dosed – I think the lightly bitter spice adds depth to the composition. Not spectacular, but assuming this a realistic proposal for what they can offer on a reasonable scale, we’re really happy. Available from The Whisky Exchange.
Tormore 10 yo – Toasted Barrel (48%, OB ‘Blueprint’ 2025, 1500 btl.)
Nose: spicier of course. Still some orchard fruits (apple), honey and hints of vanilla custard, but these are matched to white pepper, hints of clove, plenty of herbs and some toasted bread. Later dusty almonds and light mentholated hints too.
Mouth: even more mintiness and pepper of the virgin oak. The apple note is quite green now, with hints of citrus behind it. Then it turns towards cinnamon and burnt caramel notes, along with a general warming, charred oakiness and hints of toasted walnuts in the end.
Finish: quite long, with more of this warmth of oak spice, hints of tobacco and light cocoa in the background.
I’m missing the nice fruitiness here, even though the toasted barrels could certainly add punch to future compositions. Not necessarily the direction I had in mind for Tormore, nor the type of whisky they could excel in, but it’s nice to see the full width of the stocks. Available from The Whisky Exchange. Score: 83/100
Tormore 10 yo – Cream Sherry Cask (48%, OB ‘Blueprint’ 2025, 1500 btl.)
Nose: far less thick and… well… creamy than I expected. There’s a sour fruitiness (cranberry, grape, green apple and orange) with golden raisins and light fudge. Slightly thin though, with a leathery overtone. Then some leafy hints and a whiff of roasted coffee in the background.
Mouth: quite thin again, although it boasts interesting flavours like coffee, dark chocolate, black pepper and hints of (Seville) oranges. More plums and grapes as well, alongside roasted hazelnuts. Then a bit of old ale, faint caramel and some coppery notes. The cask seems to do most of the work, but it’s remarkable to see it’s rather dark and thin, rather than sweet.
Finish: medium, slowly drying, on earthy notes, malted cereals and roasted pecans.
This is not the kind of modern sherry style most distilleries are offering these days. My guess would be the use of ‘true’ solera casks – or maybe just a short finishing period with seasoned casks. It will be interesting to see where they’re going with this profile – it could certainly make them stand out from the crowd. Sold out at The Whisky Exchange (and most other places). Score: 87/100