Tomatin Legacy

Whisk(e)y Trivia

Adding water to whisk(e)y

The burning, pungent qualities contributed by the high proportion of alcohol in whisky can make it hard to evaluate nuances. Adding water dilutes the alcohol, which reduces the burn and allows other properties to reveal themselves. But there’s also something significant happening on a molecular level. Aroma molecules share more chemical likenesses with alcohol than they do with water. As such, they tend to bind with alcohol. Adding water frees up more of the aroma molecules to evaporate into the taster’s nose. Since appreciation of flavors happens at least as much in the nose as on the tongue, “watered-down” spirits actually seem more flavorful.

So, there is no right or wrong answer to this. Adding water to whisky is a personal choice, and down to your personal tastes.

Foodpairing with whisk(e)y

Drinking and eating are both wonderful pleasures of life, specially if you pair them perfectly. Give these scotch and food pairings a try and have a blast!

Light to medium cheeses (smokey whiskies)
Grilled Steak
Hummus (complex whiskies)
Green olives (simple whiskies, not peaty or complex whiskies)
Roasted nuts (smokey whiskies)
Salted nuts (peated whiskies)
Sweet nuts (Cask Strength whiskies)
Pure Chocolate (fruity & sherry casked whiskies)
Sushi (peated whiskies)

About Tomatin

In 1892 it was announced that the final route of the Highland Railway would pass through Tomatin. With this, local man John MacDougall, born and bred in Tomatin, began planning his distillery. The Tomatin Spey District Distillery was registered on 8th June 1897, however unfortunately it was closed in 1906.
Luckily, the company was purchased by experienced wine and spirits merchants and reopened as the New Tomatin Distillers Company Ltd. in 1909, bringing the distillery back into operation with 2 stills capable of producing 225,000 litres of alcohol per year.
But Tomatin’s closure in 1985 stood out from the rest. The majority of distilleries that closed at this time were deemed inefficient or outdated. Not only was Tomatin the largest and most efficient malt distillery in Scotland, but it was also was full of state of the art technology.

Whisk(e)y Cocktails

While we love our scotch neat, on the rocks or with a bit of water, there's a wide range of classic cocktail recipes and modern riffs. Get a whole new appreciation for scotch by mixing some of these great scotch drinks.

Whisk(e)y Sour

Ingredients 2 ounces bourbon 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed 1/2 ounce simple syrup 1/2 ounce egg white (optional) Garnish: Angostura bitters. Steps Add bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white, if using, to a shaker and dry-shake for 30 seconds without ice. Add ice and shake again until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass or a coupe. Garnish with 3 or 4 drops of Angostura bitters.

Whisk(e)y in Church

Ingredients 2 ounces Islay scotch 3/4 ounce oloroso sherry 1 barspoon grade B maple syrup 6 dashes smoked cherry bitters Garnish: lemon twist. Steps Add the whisky, sherry, maple syrup and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Blood & Sand

Ingredients 3/4 ounce scotch (choose one that isn't too peated) 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth 3/4 ounce Heering cherry liqueur 3/4 ounce orange juice, freshly squeezed Garnish: orange peel. Steps Add the scotch, sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur and orange juice into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange peel.

Rob Roy

Ingredients 2 ounces scotch 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth 3 dashes Angostura bitters Garnish: brandied cherries Steps Add the scotch, sweet vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora or cocktail glass. Garnish with speared brandied cherries.