Tobermory 10 Year Old (old presentation)

Nose: a tad pungent, almost sweaty, then sweeter notes save the day. Aniseed, sour apple, barnyard hay. Given time and a bit of water the malt expands and really jumps out of the glass with citrus and vanilla sweetness. An odd nose but rather appealing after all.

Taste: hot and slightly sour on the tongue. Those rich licorice and fruit notes appear. Also a smoky element, the suggestion of peat. Again that sweet, thick malt flavour dominates. Also a salty note to remind you this is an island malt (though I hear it's matured on the mainland).

Finish: a little sour for my liking, but nothing I can't handle.

Balance: a bit of a rough-and-tumble whisky but with loads of charm. Very straightforward and unpretentious too: no colouring, no cask finishing, no obscene peat levels or any other gimmicks. Reminds me somewhat of the Laddie 10 with it's sweet/salty interplay and thick, full-bodied taste. This is the second great whisky I've had from this unheralded distillery. I would heartily recommend it.

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