Tobermory 42 Year Old Single Malt Scotch...$2,499.99
47.7% ABV
3 bottles available
Vintage 1973
This is a very rare whisky from the re-opening of the distillery in 1972 - a whisky that began life amid the reawakening of the distillery: A true milestone in the brand's history, and we know that a whisky of this age will not appear again for quite some time. So it's truly historic. It is the rarest whisky ever made at Tobermory Distillery
Forbes Magazine - Tobermory 42 Year Old
Every so often I’ll come across a whisky that seems genuinely interesting to write about for one reason or another. Maybe I tried it because of an exceptional circumstance or maybe it came recommended by a friend. Or a sample just showed up - one of the advantages of writing about whisky is that happens, too.
That's the case with this one, a new travel-exclusive release from the Tobermory distillery on Mull. Full disclosure: I tend to not like most Tobermories. The standard 10-year old doesn’t do much for me, and I’ve never been blown away by independent bottlers' releases of Tobermory. I’m also not a fan of Tobermory’s peated line, Ledaig.
Give me a peaty Islay or Talisker instead, please.
However, it's been a while since I’ve tried either Tobermory or Ledaig, mainly because there are plenty of other Scotches to drink. So I figured this would be a good chance to reacquaint myself with the distillery and decide if I should revisit my opinion. As a result, this whisky needed not only to be good, but also to overcome my natural bias against its provenance. Asking a lot, I know.
First, on paper this is as interesting a Tobermory as I’ll ever get to try. A 42-year-old whisky, it's available only in airport retail shops, so it’s not easy to find. A limited edition of only 650 bottles sourced from a single oloroso sherry cask, it’s bottled at cask strength. That means a significant amount of the alcohol originally poured into the cask was lost to the angels over the years. (Spirit that will mature into whisky starts at 60%-68% alcohol)
Bottom line of this review: It’s fabulous. A complex blend of citrus, ginger cake, and grapes on the nose, the taste is wonderfully dry, even more than usual sherry cask whisky. Rather than fall deep into the dark fruits that sherry casks are normally associated with (prunes, raisins, and such delights), the sweetness combines with a rich mix of leather and velvet. A good whisky to dab on your neck for cologne, but with a £2,500 price tag, you’re better off buying cheap cologne and drinking this slowly, enjoying every precious sip.
Clearly, it’s time to rework my way through the Tobermory range.
- Bottle #540 - sold out
- Bottle #422 - sold out
- Bottle #633 - sold out
Vintage 1973
This is a very rare whisky from the re-opening of the distillery in 1972 - a whisky that began life amid the reawakening of the distillery: A true milestone in the brand's history, and we know that a whisky of this age will not appear again for quite some time. So it's truly historic. It is the rarest whisky ever made at Tobermory Distillery
Forbes Magazine - Tobermory 42 Year Old
Every so often I’ll come across a whisky that seems genuinely interesting to write about for one reason or another. Maybe I tried it because of an exceptional circumstance or maybe it came recommended by a friend. Or a sample just showed up - one of the advantages of writing about whisky is that happens, too.
That's the case with this one, a new travel-exclusive release from the Tobermory distillery on Mull. Full disclosure: I tend to not like most Tobermories. The standard 10-year old doesn’t do much for me, and I’ve never been blown away by independent bottlers' releases of Tobermory. I’m also not a fan of Tobermory’s peated line, Ledaig.
Give me a peaty Islay or Talisker instead, please.
However, it's been a while since I’ve tried either Tobermory or Ledaig, mainly because there are plenty of other Scotches to drink. So I figured this would be a good chance to reacquaint myself with the distillery and decide if I should revisit my opinion. As a result, this whisky needed not only to be good, but also to overcome my natural bias against its provenance. Asking a lot, I know.
First, on paper this is as interesting a Tobermory as I’ll ever get to try. A 42-year-old whisky, it's available only in airport retail shops, so it’s not easy to find. A limited edition of only 650 bottles sourced from a single oloroso sherry cask, it’s bottled at cask strength. That means a significant amount of the alcohol originally poured into the cask was lost to the angels over the years. (Spirit that will mature into whisky starts at 60%-68% alcohol)
Bottom line of this review: It’s fabulous. A complex blend of citrus, ginger cake, and grapes on the nose, the taste is wonderfully dry, even more than usual sherry cask whisky. Rather than fall deep into the dark fruits that sherry casks are normally associated with (prunes, raisins, and such delights), the sweetness combines with a rich mix of leather and velvet. A good whisky to dab on your neck for cologne, but with a £2,500 price tag, you’re better off buying cheap cologne and drinking this slowly, enjoying every precious sip.
Clearly, it’s time to rework my way through the Tobermory range.
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