Tomintoul Tlàth

Malt Mileage Rating: ★★★★

Type: Single malt

Origin: Speyside, Scotland 

ABV: 40%

Tomintoul Tlàth is the newest addition to Tomintoul’s whisky range. The name ‘Tlàth’ comes from the Gaelic word for ‘gentle-smooth’. This malt is drawn from whisky that has matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. 

Nose: Honey, mandarin, vanilla, ground dusty wood spices, parsley and vegetal notes with undercurrents of malt. After some time in the glass, marzipan emerges with orange peel and caramel. The noise is distinctively powdery and herbal, yet curiously with each sniff I keep comparing this malt with the sweet honeyed and earthy agave flavours of an aged tequila.  

Taste: Well, if the blueprint for this malt is to produce a “gentle dram” then Tomintoul have succeeded as planned. Despite having a mellow character, this malt has plenty of depth. It tastes softly vegetal and herbal – especially of parsley and fennel – with caramel, orange peel, vanilla, oak spices and mild wood tannins that hit the palate and then become slightly bitter on the tip of the tongue.    

Finish: The finish tastes of honey, toasted oats, drying bitter citrus (blood orange, pink grapefruit), fennel and, then, stronger anise flavours. Hints of tea leaves and walnut linger on the tip of the tongue. 

Overall: Tomintoul Tlàth’s status as a no age statement whisky can easily be forgiven reflecting on its price (about £21) and the fact that it is Tomintoul’s entry level expression. Some people may find the whisky’s mellow character unadventurous or underwhelming, but, once expectations are set (this is a low priced entry level dram that is designed to be mellow), I found this whisky very easy drinking, dangerously moreish, and thoroughly enjoyable.