The primary ongoing releases from the Speyside distillery since its acquisition by Elixir Distillers in 2022 showcase a fruit-forward character.
Tormore 12 12 months Previous, Tormore 16 12 months Previous Sherry Cask, and the non-age assertion Tormore Timeless will probably be accessible to buy from The Whisky Change from Monday 15 June, and from retailers nationwide on Monday 29 June.
Beneath the earlier proprietor, Pernod Ricard, Tormore Distillery, positioned within the Cromdale Hills, was primarily used to provide spirit for blended whiskies together with Ballantine’s, Passport, and Chivas Regal.
With the launch of the brand new core vary, Elixir Distillers seeks to champion this usually missed Fifties distillery as a producer of single malt whisky.
Chatting with The Spirits Enterprise, Elixir Distillers co-founder Sukhinder Singh explains: “It was a spirit I actually revered. I knew we had a distillery that might produce good, fruity liquid, but it surely wasn’t optimised. I knew we may make one thing long-term that was loads greater; we may enrich it.”
Inside the brand new Tormore bottlings
Tormore Timeless has been aged primarily in Bourbon barrels and bottled at an ABV of 43% with out added colouring.
Official tasting notes point out contemporary vanilla, lemon zest, peach tea and honeysuckle. It has a advisable retail worth of £41.95 (US$56) for 700ml.
Elixir Distillers’ head blender Oliver Chilton tells SB: “Timeless is admittedly our core character. We don’t declare any possession over the purity and the class of our spirit – that’s been there since day one.
“Chivas perfected it, and we inherited inventory that actually confirmed that off. We’ve added a small quantity of whisky re-racked into Sherry, simply to present size and to construct up some spice on the again palate.”
Tormore 12 12 months Previous contains whiskies matured in Bourbon barrels, toasted American oak casks and casks seasoned with a bespoke cream Sherry.
It’s offered at 46% ABV with out added colouring or chill filtration, and has an RRP of £54.95 (US$74) for 700ml.
Tasting notes describe a palate of peach cobbler, toasted almonds, coconut, poached pears and cream.
“The 12-year-old is extra my tackle the group,” provides Chilton. “Just like the folks I work with, it’s stuffed with character and heat, it’s nutty, it’s fruity.
“There are 27 those who work at our distillery, and so they spend all of their time making some very particular liquid. Our job is to take care of it, to not overcook it with wooden, to not put a great deal of tannins in it, however rigorously mature that delicate spirit to make one thing that exhibits off Tormore in one of the simplest ways.”
The very best-age assertion whisky within the lineup, Tormore 16 12 months Previous, has been completed in American and European oak Sherry casks. Tasting notes embody blackberry jam, vanilla fudge, lemon oil and dates.
“I really like the 16 as a result of it celebrates Sherry,” says Chilton. “I’m a Sherry fiend, but it surely’s additionally in our historical past. We’ve been filling Sherry casks because the first day of manufacturing in 1959, so it’s good to have the ability to rejoice that.”
Tormore 16 yr outdated is bottled at 46.8% ABV and can be pure in color and non-chill filtered. Its RRP for 700ml is £79.95 (US$107).
“Tormore on Steroids”
When west London-based Elixir Distillers bought Tormore, it reviewed all elements of manufacturing on the web site in pursuit of potential enhancements.
“We first appeared on the barley, we tried 4 or 5 various kinds of barley to see which produced the fruitiest spirit,” shares Singh. “Then we did check trials to search out out which yeast offers us a fruitier, extra textural model. Then we checked out size of fermentation to search out the optimum. Then we checked out lower factors.
“It’s nonetheless obtained that peach and pear in it, it’s nonetheless obtained the creaminess, it’s nonetheless obtained that nuttiness, like walnut pores and skin. It’s only a bit richer, it’s fruitier, it’s heavier. It’s Tormore on steroids.”
Along with bettering manufacturing, the distillery’s new house owners have been vocal about their strategy to cask maturation, which prioritises Tormore’s fruity spirit character over pronounced oak affect.
Chilton, who lives on web site, shares: “Someday my nine-year-old son walked into the distillery and requested Polly Logan, our grasp distiller: ‘Polly, how do you make peaches and pears?’, and he or she talked about fermentation and distillation and stated: ‘The factor about peaches and pears is that they bruise simply, so that you’ve obtained to be very cautious.’ And that’s how we have a look at the wooden. We’re all about cautious maturation, not overdoing the wooden, ensuring that we preserve that distillate character.”
Chilton has confirmed plans for 2 additional Tormore expressions, which will probably be launched subsequent yr.
“We’re going to introduce an 18-year-old and a 21-year-old in early 2027,” he says. “I’ve one provider in Kentucky that we’ll discuss subsequent yr, who does all of our casks for the 18-year-old. We’re additionally working actually intently with some cooperages in France on fine-grained French oak, significantly round Sauternes, that can make up one thing for our 21-year-old.”
In addition to relaunching Tormore, Elixir Distillers is making ready to start manufacturing at its Islay distillery, Portintruan. The location will probably be run by distillery supervisor Georgie Crawford, previously of Lagavulin.
These newest Tormore single malts observe the discharge of three ‘teaser’ bottlings final yr.
Along with its two distilleries, Elixir Distillers operates as an unbiased bottler of whisky and rum.
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