Scotch Whisky Review #473: Tobermory 10 Year (2008) Duncan Taylor Dimensions

Distillery: Tobermory.

Bottler: Duncan Taylor.

Region: Island.

Age: 10 Year. Distilled October 2008, Bottled July 2019.

ABV: 53.0%.

Price: $68.41.

Color: 0.4, Jounquil/Ripe Corn.

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Nose: It is really, really funky as well as boozey and earthy. It seems a bit like sticking your head into a clay pot that held some soil at some point. There’s a bit of pineapple and overall it reminds me of Kweichow Maotai.

Palate: Surprisingly, it is a bit sweet up front. Lemon hard candies and coconut sugar are the major notes. There is a bit of heat which does die down with some water. Something that I can only describe as “dirty” comes out when you do add water though.

Finish: Medium in length. Chocolate and creme soda are the major notes.

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Conclusion: When I wrote this review, this had been the only unpeated Tobermory I’d had at the time (I have had peated Tobermory aka Ledaig). My immediate reaction was that it felt a lot like Loch Lomond distillate. It’s a bit chaotic, a bit industrial, a bit fruity, and ultimately a very odd duck. Not bad in the grand scheme of things but certainly nothing amazing either.

Rating: 75.

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Scotch Whisky Review #473, Island Review #76, Whisky Network Review #631

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.