Scotch

The Last Drop 55-Year-Old Tomintoul Single Malt

$8,300

OVERALL
RATING

9

Whisky Review: The Last Drop 55-Year-Old Tomintoul Single Malt

We review The Last Drop 55-Year-Old Tomintoul Single Malt, laid down back in November 1968, when the Speyside-based Tomintoul Distillery was less than five years old.

Tasting Notes:

About:
A 55 year old Sctoch single malt laid down back in November 1968, when the Speyside-based Tomintoul Distillery was less than five years old. Bottled at 41.7% ABV and priced at $8,300.
Appearance:
There’s a very luscious, darker amber color in the glass, with superb legs and excellent viscosity.
Nose:
The aromatics on this are bright and fruit-forward, with tropical-style fruit notes of bananas and mangos apparent. Weaving into this are distinct characteristics of marzipan and some luscious chocolate brownie, interplaying quite nicely with decadent cherries, oak, and a nudge of graham cracker.
Palate:
It is quite a ride on the palate on this one, again with an excellent tropical fruit opening of mangos and papayas. Moving on beyond that, it opens up further with a velvet texture and additional considerations of dark chocolate, vanilla, and some stewed apricots. This drifts further into a nice Moroccan spice and oak back note.
Finish:
The finish here is a luxurious journey, smooth and easy going, letting you know you’ve just enjoyed 5+ decades of whisky glamor as it heads for the exit.
Comments:
There’s no question about it – this is a stunning Scotch single malt that, at $8,300 a pop, will be out of the reach of most mere whisky mortals. However, if you have the money to drop on it and are looking for a centerpiece for your bottle collection, this is the one.
The Last Drop 55-Year-Old Tomintoul Single Malt review
We review The Last Drop 55-Year-Old Tomintoul Single Malt, laid down back in November 1968, when the Speyside-based Tomintoul Distillery was less than five years old. (image via Sazerac)

Editor’s Note: We received a review sample of this whisky from the brand. However, in accordance with our editorial policies, this has not influenced the outcome of our review in any way.

The Last Drop Distillers, founded by spirits industry icons Tom Jago and James Espey in 2008 and later led by Tom and James’ daughters, Rebecca Jago and Beanie Geraedts-Espey, who joined in 2014, has long been on a mission to find super rare spirits across different categories they can bring into the light of day. These offerings, which to date have included just 36 very exclusive expressions, are known for being extremely high quality and commanding top dollar.

In 2016, The Last Drop was acquired by The Sazerac Company, and Rebecca continues to lead It as Managing Director. Some months ago, three new offerings for 2024 were unveiled, including 40- and 55-year-old Scotch single malts and a 22-year-old “infinity” rum blend.

What’s in the bottle

The Last Drop expression being reviewed here, The Last Drop 55-Year-Old Tomintoul Single Malt, is this brand’s oldest single malt to date. It was distilled in November 1968, when the Speyside-based Tomintoul Distillery was less than five years old. Founded by Glasgow whisky traders Hey & Macleod and W. & S. Strong, it was originally equipped with just one wash still and one spirit still.

The whisky that was distilled was filled into two butts and four hogsheads. What was leftover after aging more than 53 years in six oak casks was, in March 2022, married into an Amoroso butt for a further 20 months, resulting in just 582 bottles being released.

Bottled at 41.7% ABV, The Last Drop 55-Year-Old Tomintoul Single Malt was priced at $8,300 when released.

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti

Nino Kilgore-Marchetti is the founder of The Whiskey Wash, an award-winning whiskey lifestyle website dedicated to informing and entertaining consumers about whisk(e)y globally. As a whisk(e)y journalist, expert, and judge, he has written extensively about the subject, been interviewed in various media outlets, and provided tasting input on many whiskeys at competitions.

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