Side by side: An indie Tormore flight

There's a huge fanbase for Tormore but I've not really connected with them before - the spreadsheet indicated I'd accumulated 4 samples so enough to try a side by side!

These are all from indie bottlers, let's see what they are like!

Built in 1958 by Long John Distillers, Tormore was one of the first new distilleries to appear during the post-World War II Scotch boom. Production started in 1960 creating malt for blends. The distillery takes its name from the Gaelic “Torra Mhòir” meaning “Big hill”.

The original four stills were doubled to eight in 1972. Ownerships moved to Whitbread, Allied Distillers and finally Chivas Brothers in 2005. The output being used in the Long John and Ballantine’s blends but 14yo and 16yo distillery bottlings are available.

Photo: Ernst J. Scheiner

A stainless steel full lauter mash tun is used to make the unpeated wash. Eleven steel washbacks ferment the wash for around 52 hours.

Photo: Ernst J. Scheiner

Four Wash stills and four Spirit stills, with very short lyne arms, use heat recovery condensers and sub coolers distil a new make to around 68% ABV.

So which Independent Bottlers are we trying today?

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was founded in 1983 when a group of friends clubbed together to buy a cask of fine malt whisky. They now sell their bottles to their thousands of members.	The Whisky Broker was established in 2010, we aim to source and sell casks of whisky to enthusiasts and clubs wishing to purchase larger quantities of whisky at cheaper prices per bottle.	The Single Cask Ltd is an independent bottler founded in 2010 and initially called Malt Vault. They bottle single casks in their uniquely shaped bottles.	Cadenhead was originally founded in Aberdeen in 1842 but was taken over by J&A Mitchell & Co Ltd, the proprietors of Springbank Distillery in the early '70s and is now based in Campbeltown.

Let's see how their whiskies taste:

Dram	2012 7yo 105.27 Italian Fake! [SMWS]	2008 12yo Single Cask #701352 [Whisky Broker]	1995 23yo Single Cask #20095A [The Single Cask Ltd]	1984 33yo Single Cask [Cadenhead]
Characteristics	63.7% ABV 2nd Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel 205 bottles	52.1% ABV Bourbon Barrel 224 bottles	50.8% ABV Sherry hogshead 102 bottles	51.7% ABV Bourbon Barrel 132 bottles
Bottler notes	Initially full-on fabrics in an airing cupboard, mineral salts, herbal infusions in mysterious broths, mint tea, soft citrus jellied fruits and spearmint chewing gum. After that some limoncello diluted with tonic water and a scatter of pine nuts to add a touch of class. Water revealed freshly baked biscotti, blanc de blanc champagne and further elegant autolytic aspects. Some peppery watercress, damp moss and trampled ferns. The neat palate was full of grassy grappa, soda bread, scone mix, cooling wort, dried cereals and freshly milled oats. A kiss of refreshing gooseberry acidity with chopped tarragon and limestone.	None.	Nose: Oak and malt followed by fresh fruit. Palate: Black pepper, beeswax, and malt, alongside honey, melon and apricot. Finish: Dry with oak, blackberries, apricot and raisins.	Nose: Very effervescent; peaches, orange sherbet, raspberry jam and faintly medicinal. Palate: Sweet and creamy; an old fashioned sweet shop; with honey and pineapple chunks. Finish: Soft fruitiness with lingering creamy notes and distant medicinal notes.
My thoughts:
Appearance
	Light gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, take an age to bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs.	Very pale gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs.	Dark gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thick line, bead up slowly and fall as slow thick legs.	Mid gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thick line, bead up slowly and fall as slow thin legs.
Nose	Green apples, cider, lemon mousse to start but then it gets a little meaty with grilled steak. There's some  shortbread, pine nuts and a little floral note.	Vanilla custard, shortbread and a little butterscotch to start. This one has some orchard fruit too but it's more stewed pears than apples. a little icing sugar, a little yeasty bread and again that floral note.	Damp dunnage warehouse, blueberry jam, black cherries - typical sherry bomb fayre. Maple syrup adds sweetness. There's a little tropical note of pineapple and coconut.	Back to the apple and cider notes of the SMWS bottling, some toffee, pineapple and a little ginger spice. There's an underlying lemon fizz here too.
Palate	Smooth sweet arrival, loads of lemon notes: meringue pie, bonbons, drizzle cake. The ABV hits you quickly: a burning lemon ginger spice. Things calm down with a few more sips: shortbread and icing sugar give some dryness,  grapefruit a little sourness.	Smooth creamy arrival, orchard fruit to start: sliced apples and pears; both drizzled with a little honey. There's some vanilla ice cream, a little lemon zest, drying icing sugar and a bite of ginger spice as the liquid disappears. Nice!	Thick sticky arrival, brown sugar, maple syrup, sherry soaked dried fruit and a dollop of blueberry jam.  Dates, prunes and figs make an appearance alongside cinnamon and ginger spice. Unusually there's some orchard fruit and caramel sauce.	Thick smooth arrival, lemon meringue pie, butterscotch, barley sugars and a nice bite of ginger spice. Walnuts and almonds offer a  dry nuttiness. There's baked apples, cored and filled with raisins, then smothered in vanilla custard. Drying icing sugar  to finish. Yummy!
Finish	Short and sweet, a little sour citrus and ginger spice.	Short and sweet with honey and toffee. A little warming spice.	Lingering sherry, dried fruit, brown sugar and baking spices.	Short and sweet with honey and toffee. A little lemon and a warming ginger spice.
Overall	Although the youngest I tried this the SMWS bottle last due to the ABV - it's the Whisky Broker bottle on steroids - a larger sample would have allowed some dilution for comparison but at this strength it was actually perfected drinkable. The Whisky broker bottle is everything I expect from an ex-bourbon Tormore - orchard fruit, honey, toffee, a little citrus and spice. This one was really sweet but also dry with the icing sugar.  The Single Cask bottle is the odd one out here - a sherry bomb! It has some unusual orchard fruit notes but is nicely balanced and dangerously drinkeable. The Cadenhead bottle ramps everything up a notch: baked orchard fruit, honey and toffee sweetness and some nuttiness to reflect the additional age. The complexity here is amazing - time and patience rewards a drammer!

Many thanks to @Ardbaggie for the samples!