Earlier today I already reviewed the Tobermory 10 Year Old but now it is time for the Tobermory 15 Year Old Limited Edition.

For this single Malt a “dual-location maturation process” was used. In other words: The whisky was maturated – as generally usual for Tobermory – in the warehouses of Deanston in the Highlands. After 14 years the whisky was transported back again to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull for a 12 month long finish in Oloroso Sherry casks from the bodega  González Byass.

González Byass is, thanks not least to their fino sherry ‘Tío Pepe’, one of the best-known sherry bodegas. Manuel María González Angel founded the bodega in 1835 but his business did not flourished until he was joined by his English representative Robert Blake Byass. Byass’ descendants left the company in 1988.

Released back in 2008 to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the takeover of Tobermory by Burn Stewart, I guess the term ‘Limited Edition’ has to be relativized a bit here because this expression is still widely available as of this writing.

Facts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:	Tobermory 15 Years Old
Age:	15 Years Old
Category:	Singe Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery:	Tobermory
Cask Type:	Finish in González Byass Oloroso Sherry Casks
Strength:	46.0% Vol
Colored:	No
Chill Filtered:	No

Nose

At first a slightly opened humidor – hints of wood paired with very mild tobacco. However this first impression does not last long and vigorous, fruity sherry takes over. Joined by sweet, juicy oranges and piles of raisins. Somehow caramel makes its appearance now but it makes not the slightest efforts to hide the fact that it does not belong there.

Taste

Oily, sweet. The sherry is drier now and the fruitiness is more in the background. Followed by a smack of pepper and spicy oak. All of the sudden it gets really sour. Lemons. Limes. A downright tingle on the tongue.

Finish

Rather short with slight traces of salted caramel, apart from that very nondescript.

Overall

So much wasted potential here –  a completely displaced caramel note in the nose and a highly strange citrus influx in the taste. Given that, it seems almost appropriate that the finish is pretty much non-existent and a huge disappointment. Decent but not particularly memorable.

Score: 75 / 100