Eddie Izzard inspired and 1st fill charred red wine influenced. Consider me intrigued. Deep, rich & dried fruits profile.
Nose: A strong focus on the sweet stuff – brown sugars, butterscotch, orange marmalade, honey and poached pears. These are supported by plenty of patisserie aromas – flan cases and tart bases. In the background, forest influence – leafiness and earthy mushrooms. Water certainly adds depth to the nose and moves away from overt sweetness - bracken, fern, hay and barley.
Taste: Oily and unctuous with demerara, baked bread, pastries and butterscotch. The fruit influence is primarily red – blackberries, cherries, cranberries and raspberries – and sits with cake, sponge fingers and vanilla cream. Reduction added both juiciness and slight meatiness (ham hock) as well as sticky toffee pudding.
Finish: Medium, with creamy fudge and just a sprinkle of pepperiness.
Whether a full-term maturation or red wine finish (unsure), this is a successful full-bodied sweet and rich Tomatin that’s ideal as we transition into colder weather. Cake or death! – or Death by cake? I don’t think it matters, I’ll die happy.