Tormore 35 Year Old XOP x Scallywag (Douglas Laing 75th Anniversary) Cask #17546

Tormore 35 Year Old XOP x Scallywag (Douglas Laing 75th Anniversary) Cask #17546

Region: Speyside

ABV: 46.2%

Price: £600.00

Distilled on the 1st May 1988 and matured for 35 years in a single sherry butt, this Tormore was bottled on the 1st September 2023 by Douglas Laing as a limited Xtra Old Particular collaboration with Scallywag for the company’s 75th anniversary celebrations. The Outturn was 285 bottles.

Nose

The nose is surprisingly yeasty, with fresh bread dough and cashew nuts leading the way. Citrus sits in the background alongside tobacco, a hint of sulphur, warehouse funk, orange bitters, leather, chocolate coins, and crème brûlée. There is less sherry influence than we expected given the colour of the liquid and the age. There is also minimal alcohol spice, but that’s less surprising given the ABV.

Palate

There is more sherry influence on the palate, with notes of cola, treacle, and heaps of honey all appearing upfront. We are also getting aged white port, crème brûlée, and brown sugar appearing on the mid palate. There is quite a bit of pepper spice on the long finish, but there’s still a decent amount of sweetness to balance it out. The mouthfeel is solid given the ABV, though we were expecting a little more complexity in flavours if we’re honest.

Nose (with water)

Water brings out more cask influence on the nose. We are now getting notes of beef gravy, Tizer, reduced prune sauce, and orange rind. The pre dilution notes are still there, just sitting behind these newer aromas. The alcohol spice remains minimal.

Palate (with water)

Water has diminished the mouthfeel slightly. The spice is more intense on the finish. Those pre dilution nose notes still appear on the palate, but now they are alongside burnt treacle, burnt coffee, and dark chocolate. The finish has become a little shorter.

Conclusion

We are a little disappointed by this one. It is a good reminder that old does not always mean better. Neat, it lacks complexity and comes across as quite one dimensional and very cask forward. With dilution there is a little more complexity, but it feels like two steps forward and one step back as the palate gains more spice and loses a little mouthfeel. Not bad, just not what we hoped for.

Score: 6/10

Value

At £600 this feels overpriced, which might explain why it is still in stock. However, if you shop around you can currently find it at Aberdeen Whisky Shop for about £370 at the time of writing.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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