A Scot on Scotch reviews a single cask single malt from Tormore Distillery in Speyside. The whisky is matured for 10 years and finished in a PX sherry barrique.
Dràm Mòr
Dràm Mòr are an independent bottler of whisky and other quality spirits. The bottler was established in 2019 and has since established itself as a respected operator in a congested and competitive market. Run by the husband and wife team of Kenny and Viktorija Macdonald, the company has an impressive back catalogue of releases from a diverse array of distilleries.
Tormore
Tormore Distillery began producing whisky in 1960. It was established by Long John International and designed by Alexander Cullen. The neo-classical listed building is architecturally unique and easily one of the most attractive in all of Scotland. Sadly, however, its single malt isn’t the most widely available, due to a life of producing for blends. That is all about to change, however.
Since 2022, Tormore has been part of the Elixir Distillers stable. The new owners seem to have every intention of developing the whisky as a single malt in its own right, and if the quality of Elixir’s other output is anything to go by, this should be a good thing for both Tormore and whisky lovers alike. These things take time, of course, so in the meantime, we should be grateful for the indies like Dràm Mòr for making good casks of Tormore available to us.
Dràm Mòr Tormore 10 Year Old Review
The whisky is aged for ten years, including a finishing period in a Pedro Ximenez sherry barrique. It’s bottled at 56.2%. Just 276 bottles are available.
Tasting notes: The liquid sticks to the side of the glass in a very appealing way. The nose has a lot going on. It’s oaky, with currants, sultanas, and nutmeg. There’s a wee suggestion of burnt toast, but also some red fruit top notes. Maraschino cherries, and I even got a wee menthol note at one point. On the palate, sweet raisins, dark chocolate, more oak and a spicy finish. Water brought out some treacle and a wee blackberry note.
Thoughts: A great nose that promises much. The palate doesn’t quite match the level of complexity in the aromas, but it’s a tasty dram nevertheless. Quite oaky and not as overtly sweet as PX can sometimes be – a good thing for those who don’t have a sweet tooth. I must confess to not being very familiar with Tormore’s spirit – it’s a dram I’ve only encountered two or three times – but this one makes me think it must be quite light, as the cask is definitely taking charge. That said, this dram is still a perfectly pleasant wee sipper, and another solid offering from one of the best bottlers around.
Price: £78. Fairly standard pricing for a single cask of this sort of age. Especially when the market isn’t exactly flooded with single cask Tormore.
Visit Dràm Mòr here
Visit Tormore here
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