2008 Tomatin 12yo, French Collection, Monbazillac Edition (46%)

Tomatin's Distillery Operations Director Graham Eunson sourced a rare Monbazillac cask to finish one parcel of nine-year-old Highland single malt. The resulting liquid is indulgently viscous, the nose opens with a mouth-watering sweetness, characterised by milk chocolate, raisins, caramel, honey and ice-cream wafer. With time, the mellifluous introduction gives way to delicate sweet spices, most notably cinnamon and nutmeg. Waves of tropical fruit build on the initially decadent chocolate palate with nougat, salted popcorn and walnut notes all enveloped in the velvety mouthfeel. With time more complexity comes though, with cereal notes and a slightly herbal character coming to the fore. Pineapple and Galia melon notes continue the tropical fruit theme on the finish.