Tomintoul Peaty Tang is one of the few whiskies in the Tomintoul line that aren’t “lovingly crafted” from something according to their site. This whisky gets its name from the peated barley they use to create it and is a lower proof replacement for their previous peaty dram the Old Ballantruan. Even when it comes to peat they’re determined to embrace that Gentle Dram moniker by delivering an 80 proof whisky that’s not even 100% peated.
According to Distiler “Tomintoul produces non-peated whisky, but for two weeks out of the year, they distill a heavily peated whisky. Initially, this was done for blended whisky brands, but they began vatting it for themselves with their unpeated whisky. This is a single malt from a blend of their 4-5 year old peated whisky and 8 year old unpeated whisky.” Tomintoul Peaty Tang; gentle indeed.
Tomintoul Peaty Tang Info
Region: Speyside, Scotland
Distiller: Tomintoul
Mashbill: 100% Malted Barley
Cask: ex-Bourbon
Age: NAS
ABV: 40%
Price: $45
Tomintoul Peaty Tang Review
EYE
Gold
NOSE
Notes of peat, vanilla, smoked ham, malt and orchard fruit with a fleck of honey wander on through. It’s nice and crisp, but light.
PALATE
Malt, peat, cocoa, iodine, olde time candy, vanilla and orchard fruit tip-toe their way across trailed by a honied mist. It’s solidly not-unpleasant.
FINISH
Medium fade of peat, char, malt and fruit.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Decent balance, light body and light feel.
OVERALL
Tomintoul Peaty Tang is my favorite of the core line up. It’s a bit bolder, a bit more balanced, a bit more complex and that’s all thanks to the peat. Yes it’s still a light gentle whisky that’s more nuance than notes, but the earthy peat gives the sweet notes something to play against and brings out a bit more of the malt characteristic and balance.
It’s definitely young, but young peated whiskies are capable of having a greater complexity than their un-peated and similarly aged counterparts all due to the balance brought to an otherwise sweet toned spirit. If you like peated whisky, and don’t mind young peated whisky, then the Tomintoul Peaty Tang might be something to give a taste and see what you think.
SCORE: 80-82/100 (B-, not consumed at home)
