The packaging of this Tomintoul 8 Year Old screams 1980s to me. The bottle is commonly referred to as the perfume bottle with its uncommon shape and shiny closure. Those were the days when a lot of distilleries were still using the ‘Glenlivet’ suffix to their name, including Tomintoul.
Tomintoul Glenlivet 8 yo (43%, OB late 1980s)
Nose: a really malty, fairly neutral profile. Not without its merits though. Nice hints of pear, as well as a lemony sourness and mild marmalade. Then a few green notes, a mix of grasses and aloe vera. Just a little caramel and dusty notes too.
Mouth: again very malty, but quite full-bodied given its ABV. Hints of black pepper and caramel leading up to cocoa. A honeyed note. Mid-palate it becomes quite bland with a hint of cardboard and a tangy hint of tea leaves. A puff of smoke as well.
Finish: medium, on barley notes, toffee and mild spices.
Whilte it’s always interesting to try these classics, this is quite a limited whisky. Slightly bland, revolving around malty notes and other mild aromas. Still available from LMdW for instance.
After I wrote the review of the 8 Year Old, I also discovered I had a sample of an even older version. In the mid 1970s it was bottled in the same perfume bottle, but without an age statement. This version was launched in 1974.
Tomintoul Glenlivet NAS (40%, OB +/- 1975)
Nose: there’s still a big dose of spent grains at the centre. Dusty barley, some forest soil, along with dried grasses. Then also a slightly hint of polished metal, toffee and pinewood. Also marmalade underneath. Dustier than the 8 Year Old.
Mouth: weaker now. It’s a watered down mix of grains, cocoa, caramel and cardboard. A peppery note shines through. Flashes of citrus, toasted oak and chocolate towards the end.
Finish: medium, with a slightly tangy grainy edge, subtle bitterness and this vague caramelly sweetness.
A similar profile, but the lower ABV makes it even less characterful. Not something you should actively look for, unless you’re into disco chic. Score: 72/100