Tomatin 10yo ‘Single Malt Collection’ (40%, Trader Joe’s, +/-2010)

Exclusively bottled for Trader Joe’s, ‘rare aged scotch whisky’ and ‘matured in oak casks’. On the nose there are hints of marzipan; ‘green’ notes (think green peas and uncooked raw grains) and some warm sugar or caramel. After some time in the glass things begin to change and it becomes much more solid and a little fragrance inter mingled with some good oak notes (leather and dry unlit tobacco). It’s rather quit nice. After about 15 minutes in the glass some very enjoyable malt comes to the fore. The taste is a little more towards the leather and tobacco and very ‘solid’ with some good heavy notes and lots of active flavours. Only a little of the fragrance now shows which is a nice backing to the heavier notes (think Oxo or beef tea). Again quite nice and a pleasant surprise. The finish is active and quite long with the heavier notes and the Ox0 working well together to produce a very good finish. After a minute or two there’s some very good malt which is a really good way to end.

Quite drinkable however there’s a slight suspicion that somebody has been playing with spirit caramel….

+/-$40

Score 82 points

Part one of the ‘Z’ of the whisky alphabet as we take a look as whiskies that begin with “T”