Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar owners can tuck into a tasty single malt Scotch whisky from a most beautiful island today.
You know something, your Drinks by the Dram Advent Calendars have been very good to you so far. On this blog series alone we’ve enjoyed an exceptional Scotch single malt, a bold American rye, a classic London dry gin, and a rich rummy treat. More boozy goodness than you can shake a candy cane at! The good times keep a-rolling today with a beautifully well-balanced single malt from an equally gorgeous island. It’s Tobermory 12 Year Old!
Island dram
The Isle of Mull is a postcard of a place. Brightly painted buildings (which you may recall if you were a fan of kid’s TV show Balamory), high woodland-fringed hills surrounding the bay, and one of the oldest commercial distilleries in Scotland. It’s worth a trip. We’re in the era of staycations, after all.
Tobermory Distillery is one of those distilleries that makes two very distinctive kinds of whiskies and then releases them under different brands. One of those is the complex, peaty joy of Ledaig (pronounced Le-chig), a real favourite of whisky nerds. The other is Tobermory, and we think it deserves a little more attention. Richly fruity and full of an inviting, elegant creaminess, drams like the 12 Year Old are a bit of a bargain and an always welcome pour.
It’s no surprise both Tobermory and Ledaig are smash hits, to be honest, as the distillation process for both of them is almost the same. The master distiller Brendan McCarron will just take slightly different cut points for the Ledaig to get all those phenols over from the peated barley. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And if the whisky tastes, don’t drown it in other flavours. A nice simple serve like a Whisky Mac is called for here if you’re a cocktail lover. Good thing there’s a recipe below.
A bargain whisky for you to enjoy today
Tasting note for Tobermory 12 Year Old
Nose: Pear, peach, and apple, with a dusting of brown sugar. Greek yogurt, barley, and a hint of cinnamon pastries.
Palate: Rounded malt notes once again, now a touch oily. Still packs a hearty helping of stone fruit sweetness.
Finish: A flash of orange peel, soft sawdust, toffee, and dates.
How to make a Whisky Mac
45ml Tobermory 12 Year Old
30ml Crabbie’s ginger wine
Fill a glass with ice then pop your whisky in, followed by your ginger wine, and give it a good stir.
Tomorrow there will be no dram. Just kidding, it’s Advent! Of course there will be. Cheers!
