Review #939 - SMWS 89.23 'Velvet Indulgence' - Tomintoul 14 Year
This is the third review in a 'series' of Scotch Malt Whisky Society reviews; this has been spread over the past year, and it's based around the SMWS Tasting Panel Experience which took place in the US in 2025. Previously we look at the Loch Lomond and Caol Ila whiskies which were selected during this event; now, it's time to look at the third and final single malt which was picked, a 14 year old Tomintoul which was named "Velvet Indulgence."
This Speyside single malt first spent about 11 years maturing in an ex-bourbon cask; after that, the Society transferred the spirit into a first fill Oloroso cask, specifically one made with American oak, which is milder than European oak. After 14 years of aging, this whisky was released with a very dark natural color, as well as a punchy cask strength of 60.2% ABV.
SMWS 89.23 'Velvet Indulgence' - Tomintoul 14 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price: USD 170 (2025)
Age Statement: 14 Years
Strength: 60.2% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon cask, finished in a first fill American oak Oloroso sherry hogshead
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled October 5, 2010; 267 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 6 months; bottles at 80%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Ultra rich and intense - tobacco, leather, stewed fruits of medjool date and prune, some sweetness from caramel and demerara sugar. Raisins, acidic plum, blackberry, cranberry, and raspberry continue the fruit theme; we also get strong oak, pencil shavings, and cigars. It's strong, inky, and smells syrupy.
Palate: Chewy with a thick, oily mouthfeel. Oak dominates: rich tobacco leaf, a dark complexion, and we get leather and wood polish as well. A plethora of fruits including raisin, blood orange, syrupy dates, and prunes grow in intensity; we also get accents of raspberry, candied almond, tart blackberry jam, and nutmeg. It's quite intense and brooding.
Finish: Brown sugar, orange oil, loads of tobacco and leather - this is a big oaky beast. Syrupy raisin, prune, and fig continue the dark fruit theme, and we also find wood smoke, some spirity heat, soft tannins and wood spice. The great oily texture lingers; this is a medium-long finish.
Final Note: To be honest, this was not actually among our favorites at the Tasting Panel Experience event; boy, are we glad that others liked it more than we did, and it ended up getting selected. This is a big, dark, oaky monster of a single malt whisky, and that finishing period in the sherry cask has added a very strong cask influence as well. We find the SMWS bottle names to be hit or miss at times, but this one captures the whisky perfectly: 'Velvet Indulgence' is spot on.
Waves of tobacco, oak spice, red fruits, and purple fruits compete for attention, and the high bottling strength ensures that the whole experience is delivered with amazing intensity. Tomintoul isn't really a distillery which was on our radar, but this release shows just how good it can be with the right cask and bottling specifications.
Let's get on to the value for this bottle: in our opinion, it's about average. This is a great whisky, maybe even excellent, but the price of $170 is also asking a lot for a 14 year Tomintoul. Maybe that just goes to show that you can't always judge a book by its cover - great whisky can be found where you least expect it. For the right person with certain flavor preferences, this whisky is well worth it - we fall into that category.
Our Rating: 8.4 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.02
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Tomintoul reviews:
