Ｔz Limited 是 Tomatin 的正式香港代理，他們的故事讀者可參閱"Tomatin 威士忌品飲會“及"Sipping Malt + T’z + Tomatin + Antiquary 品飲會“，於此不贅。Tz 除了代理 Tomatin 的標準系列，近年有引入多款特別版，亦開拓正式原廠裝瓶的包桶業務，表現積極投入。

我在去年 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair 於 Tz 的展場上受他們的邀請，即場試了多個來自單桶原酒的樣本，我選了兩款個人喜愛的，給他們參考。當日 Ginger 的 Tony 亦有同場試飲，湊巧大家的選擇都是一致。一直到近日，他們傳來訊息，說根據 Tony 和我當日的意見，選了其中一桶原酒，作為香港專屬酒款。噢….竟然!?

哈，竟然找回當天拍的照片! Tomatin 2009 C3457

Tz 透露，這款香港專屬單桶 Tomatin 的酒標概念主題是"獅子山下"，以獅子山作為主題背景，由香港知名插畫家 Zoie Lam 執筆，在她的 Zlism 星人"條條"跟他的朋友們一同遊走獅子山，酒標上顯現出獅子山的型態和香港大廈的面貌。我想，作為一個"真.香港人"，對獅子山下會有另一番的感情。所謂的新香港人是不會明白的，而忘本的香港叛徒的鼠目寸光亦只看到眼前的假像但卻看不見獅子山的遠大。

Tomatin C#3457 酒標

說遠了，還是說回 Tz 的這款香港專屬單桶 Tomatin 吧。

除了這款酒緣起的 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair, Tz 亦有於香港專屬年度盛事 Wine and Dine Festival 參展。適逢今年為 Wine & Dine Festival 十週年，Tz 以這款香港專屬單桶 Tomatin 配合，於 Wine and Dine Festival 宣揚香港獅子山精神!

Wine and Dine Festival

這款酒還未正式公開發售的，必須一提的是，Tz 的這款香港專屬單桶 Tomatin，每賣出一瓶， Tz 便會撥出 HK$200 作慈善捐款! 屆時各位請到 Tz 於 Wine and Dine Festival 的攤位 Whisky Zone C8 大力支持，既可品嚐美酒，亦可同時行善，真.香港人互勉互助，一起發揮香港獅子山下精神!

Tomation 2009/2018, C#3457, 700 ml, 60.7%
Title: 獅子山下 Spirit of Lion Rock for Tz Limited
Cask type: First Fill Sherry Hogshead
Distilled: 10 June 2009
Bottled: 2 May 2018
Number of bottle: 257 bottles

款酒是 Tomatin 酒廠正式裝瓶，並不是那些獨立裝瓶廠的包桶。很不錯的規格，年青的記年雪莉單桶原酒。老實說，雖則當天我是冒著爆 quota 的危險，盡量專心的去品飲，但我始終只是凡人，沒有那些甚麼達人或專業品飲家的神奇本事，在會場上百款酒每款酒匆匆只嘗一兩口便可寫出罐頭專業品酒文下結論。當然，中年癡呆的我現在亦不會記得當天品嘗的細節。要寫好酒評，當然是要喝已正式裝瓶的酒吧。

很明顯 Tz 會送給酒我，但了解我的朋友都只道我不太愛吃魚，尤其是淡水魚，例於鱔魚等。所以呢，我跟他們說我朋友很有興趣要買一瓶，這一定要收錢的吧。面書上"人帥真好"這些閃光帖與我可不太有緣，我還是老老實實用真金白銀買一瓶來好好品賞，認真撰寫酒評吧!

唔….這瓶酒是我這窮酒鬼用血汗錢買的，不好喝的話可不要怪我筆下無情哦!

氣味: 牛奶朱古力, 玫瑰花水, 檀木，焦糖，拖肥，蜜餞梅子，混有丁香的香料
口味: 黑朱古力，咖啡，檀木，皮革，煙草，岩鹽，乾果皮， 丁香
餘蘊: 中等長度，咖啡渣，烤木頭，香料
評語: 氣味濃郁，起首是牛奶朱古力的甜美氣味，帶些許玫瑰花水氣息，深沉的檀木香氣，甜蜜的焦糖拖肥。雖則酒精度達 ABV 60.7%, 但沒有刺鼻感，非常喜歡那牛奶朱古力和檀木的香氣。酒體強壯有力，帶點火，口味上沒有氣味上的甜，轉為皮革煙草的男人味，帶些丁香的辛辣和微咸。中等長度的餘蘊，甘苦適度，舒適。整體上結實豐厚但不過重，口味上有些菱角，就複雜度和層次感，以這年青的酒來說，絕對是交足功課有餘。

酒質確實不錯，又可以行善積德，大家"真.香港人"為獅子山下香港精神打打氣吧!

Tomatin 2009/1998 C#3457 獅子山下

Tomatin 2009/1998 C#3457 獅子山下

Wine and Dine Festival 2018
日期及時間：
2018年10月25日晚上7:30至11:30
2018年10月26及27日中午12:00至晚上11:30
2018年10月28日中午12:00至晚上10:00
地點：香港島中環海濱活動空間及添馬公園
Tz Limited Tomation: Whisky Zone :C8

前文介紹了一系列的 Tomatin 威士忌，原來除了自家的單一麥芽威士忌之外，Tomatin 名下還有一個調和威士忌的系列，於 1995 年從 United Distillers 收購回來的 J & W Hardie Ltd. 旗下的 Antiquary 是也。Tomatin 的香港代理 T’z Limited 也有引進 Antiquary 系列的其中三款威士忌。

Antiquary 這品牌對我來說確實陌生，不過其鑽石切割造型的樽身設計的確特別，就好像 Glenfiddich 的三角樽一樣，容易令人留下印象。Antiquary 的樽身的確又得過些甚麼設計獎的，除了好看外，亦於運輸和貨架展示是較省空間，云云。不過呢，酒是要來喝的，任憑你包括華麗名貴驚天地泣鬼神，內裡的不好喝的話你回家鄉食蕉好了。

先簡單說說 Antiquary 的來由，John 和 William Hardie 最先於 1857 年於愛丁堡 Edinburgh 的 Greenside Place 合作業務，Antiquary 這款威士忌則於 1888 年首創，Antiquary 的名字取材自一本據說很著名，由 Sir Walter Scott 所寫，於 1816 年出版的同名哥德式 Gothic 小說 The Antiquary。很明顯，我這老粗是完全不曉得甚麼是哥德式小說，亦不可能知道 Sir Walter Scott 是甚麼人，我在網上"抄考"的罷了，這本書的其他資料可問全能的谷歌大神。

好了，還是不再研究甚麼哥德式或傳教士式了，先喝第一款的 Antiquary。

Antiquary Blended Whisky, 700 ml, 40%

這是 Antiquary 系列的入門版，按官方資料得知，這款酒的原酒是使用北美橡木桶 North American Oak 陳年，調合後裝回橡木桶中再作四至六個月的熟成才進行裝瓶。

氣味: 乾棗，啡糖，蜜炙藥材，牛油(黃油)，曲奇餅
口味: 黑咖啡，焦糖，過火多士，塑膠
餘蘊: 中等長度，燒焦木材，西藥藥粉
評語: 氣味濃郁，香甜的乾棗和啡糖，微苦帶甜的藥材，甘美油閏的牛油曲奇。柔軟輕怡的酒體，輕軟中亦見骨袈，調子轉向焦香和草本，餘蘊更甚。氣味馥郁香甜，不複雜但平衡，甚佳。但口味和餘蘊較偏鋒，燒焦木材和藥材的苦味較突兀，餘蘊中的西藥藥粉尤甚。氣味甚佳但口味和餘蘊未能配合，但以入門版酒款來說，也算及格，尤其是那美好的香氣。

Antiquary Blended Whisky

我在兩年多前喝過 Tomatin 十八年陳的標準版威士忌，當時香港還未有正式代理。這款酒是好喝的，平衡有緻，值得細味。現在 Tomatin 在香港已經有正式代理，近日取得了香港行貨現行版本，正好可喝喝比較一下。

Tomatin 18 years, 700 ml, 46%

氣味: 蜜糖，乾棗，拖肥甘草，出爐麵包，玉桂
口味: 柑橘，蜜餞漿果，黑朱古力，烘烤木材，多士
餘蘊: 悠長，烘烤木材，咖啡渣，薄荷
評語: 氣味上頗甜，有糖果和乾果的香甜氣息，多得甘草和玉桂類的香料平衡，避免單一的甜膩感，出爐麵包的香氣甚得我心。酒體豐滿，點點帶酸的柑橘，酸中帶甜的梅果，伴同焦香的烘焙味道，豐富。悠長的餘蘊，木質和焦香為主，末後一抹薄荷的清涼感。比較起我之前喝時寫下的筆記，她們的味道很不同，新近喝的較多香料和接近一般雪莉桶陳威士忌的風味。盡管如此， 這新舊兩版的 Tomatin  十八年陳威士忌，同樣是平衡細緻的好酒。

後記: 未必是酒有變，很多時是人有變。人心常變，看事對人亦隨之而變。昨日信誓旦旦山無陵天地合乃敢與君絕，今天卻見面如陌路人迎面不相識擦身而過。萬事不變，人變。

Tomatin 18 years old Single Malt Whisky

I had tasted a Tomatin 18 years old whisky in couple of years ago. It was indeed a good whisky, detailing and balancing. Recently I have got a sample of the current bottling. It is a good opportunity to compare any differences between them.

Tomatin 18 years, 700 ml, 46%

Nose: Honey, dried date, toffee, licorice, freshly break bread, cinnamon
Palate: Citrus, preserved berries, black chocolate, toasted wood, toast
Aftertaste: Long, toasted wood, coffee ground, mint
Comment: Quite sweet aroma, candies and dried fruit, good to have some spices to balance, lovely baking aroma. Rich and full in mouth, citrus like sour, followed by toasty favours. Long aftertaste, woody and toasty, chewing. Comparing to my previous tasted sample, their favours are quite different, this one more spicy and “ordinary" Sherry cask favours. Notwithstanding that the differences, both Tomatin 18 are detailing and balancing, good whiskies.

P.S. May not the whisky itself changes, perhaps the people change.

Tomatin 18 years old Single Malt Whisky

There is a whisky with an interesting name in Tomatin series, namely, Cù Bòcan – a dog from hell.

This Cù Bòcan was originated from a “village" tale. Once upon a time, there was a dog alike creature, or said a ghost, haunting at whereabouts the villages in which the present Tomatin distillery situated. It occasionally appeared to scare the villagers. Further, another tale, that a worker of a distillery encountered it. Meanwhile he was so frightening he somehow touched its fur. Oops! The Cù Bòcan was turning into a cloud of smoke and then vanishing.

The distillery catches the opportunity to offer a special bottling to tribute to such a “legendary" tale, that is, the whisky I now introduce, the Cù Bòcan。

The Cù Bòcan is a lightly peated single malt whisky. The phenol level is about 15 ppm. The present standard bottling is blended from the whiskies aged in virgin oak, Bourbon and Sherry casks respectively. It was firstly launched in October 2013 and the distillery only allocates a period of time every year to produce this Cù Bòcan.

In additions to the present standard Cù Bòcan, I have seen four special editions of Cù Bòcan, namely, Fino, Manzanilla, Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez cask finish. There is no longer any information about these four special editions available on the official website. However, the official website lists another three special bottlings of Cù Bòcan series. They are Virgin Oak Edition (6000 bottles released in February 2015), Sherry Edition(6000 bottles released in September 2014) and vintage 1989 Limited Edition (1080 bottles, bottled at ABV53.2%, blended from three Bourbon casks of number 37470, 37471 and 37472, all were distilled on 6/7/1989).

These special editions are just for information. I rather taste the one available and affordable.

Tomatin Cù Bòcan, 700 ml, 46%

Nose: BBQ honey, toast, condense milk, grass, slightly disinfectant
Palate: Charcoal, hot spices, coffee ground, salts, licorice gum
Aftertaste: Medium length, brunt wood, medicinal, salty, licorice alike herb
Comment: Interesting aroma, BBQ on the grass, toasting bread with spread of honey and condense milk, little bit disinfectant. Medium body, smoky and toasty, woody too, quite spices, slight salty. Medium length smoky wood aftertaste, with some herbs. Though it is bottled at ABV 46%, not too heavy as expected. Neither peaty did I expect, nor significant Island elements. However, the peat and smoke play a good role in seasoning this solid Tomatin. Don’t misunderstand it is an islander or a peat monster, just a lightly peat old favored whisky. A good whisky anyway, balance, adequate, rich, lovely.

Tomatin Cù Bòcan

I have previously introduced two Tomatin whsikies, the Legacy and 12 years old. Both taste good and their Hong Kong retail prices are reasonable. Now it is the turn to Tomatin 14 years old.

This age of whisky is somehow embarrassing in market positioning, just two years older than mainstream 12 years old but far younger than prestige 18 years old. Though some people said that age is not the whole and age does not guarantee the quality, age of whisky is still an indication to some objective characters, such as price determination, expected favours from woods, and market perception to the general customers.

I do not intend to discuss bout the debate about the essence of age, cost issues, marketing and professionalism  in tasting and etc. I am nothing more than a layman in the whisky world. I would rather concern on what I have got and tasted.

In fact this Tomatin whisky is not only focused on its age. It was firstly aged in Bourbon cask and then finished in Port pipe for a year, non-chill filtered, bottled at ABV 46%. Good bottling standard and my favour cask type finishing, worthy to have a try.

Tomatin 14 years, 700 ml, 46%

Nose: Oxidized wine, dried date, raw sugar, chocolate, cinnamon
Palate: Dark chocolate, cinnamon, leather, charred wood, toast
Aftertaste: Medium length, black coffee, charred wood, leather
Comment: As the barrel type suggested, wine favor and those oxidized, sweet dried dates and candies, hints of spices. Full body, fine chocolate, some spices and leather, toasty and woody. Medium length aftertaste, good black coffee and wood, chewing. A rich and balancing dram, layered, my favored port wood ageing whisky, just love the oxidizing and chocolate favors and adequate spices and toasted wood. A very good whisky without a doubt.

Tomatin 14 years

Tomatin 14 years

I have introduced an elementary bottling of Tomatin’s line, the Legacy in previous article and now I turn to Tomatin’s 12 years old whisky.

This age of whisky is of moderated in terms of age and price and therefore most distillers and merchants see their 12 years old bottlings as the main force in the marketing battle.

According to the official information, this whisky is blended from Bourbon cask and Sherry cask whiskies which are aged not less than eleven and half years separately in their casks. They are then blended and aging in Oloroso Sherry casks for further six to nine months.

Tomatin 12 years, 43%, 700 ml

Nose: Dried date, grass, toffee, citrus, honey
Palate: Chocolate, orange, coffee, charred wood, hints of spices
Aftertaste: Medium length, toast, toasted wood
Comment: Mild aroma with fruits of dried date and citrus, some toffee, fairly grassy, honey appeared over time. Light body, lovely orange chocolate biscuit, some toasty favors, ended with with hints of hot spices. Comfortable bitterness in medium length aftertaste. Not a big whisky, but is on the lighter side, mild and soft, balance with good integrity, an easy to drink whisky, pleasant dram.

Tomatin 12 years

Tomatin 12 years

Tomatin Legacy is the elementary bottling of the standard series. It is a NAS bottling, blended from Ex-Bourbon cask aged and virgin oak malts.

Tomatin Legacy, 700 ml, 43%

Nose: Dried dates, toffee, grass, red apple, syrup
Palate: Red apple, coffee grounds, herb, overdone toast, woody
Aftertaste: Medium length, herb, woody bitterness
Comments: Sweet dried dates and toffee in front, seasoning by hints of fresh grass and apple peel, feeling of syrup, good notes. Light body but firm, still fresh apple plus bitterness of coffee grounds, herbal and toasty. OK bitterness medium aftertaste. A straightforward dram, starting from sweet and refreshing notes, followed by some stone fruit elements, balanced with herbal and toasted bean and wood bitterness. Inexpensive, easy to drink with characters, a very good daily dram.

Tomatin Legacy

Tomatin 有一款名字很有趣的酒，喚作地獄犬 Cù Bòcan。

這地獄犬 Cù Bòcan，其實是來自一則"鄉村"傳說。話說數百年來於 Tomatin 現址附近的村落，有一頭汪星人狀的生物，亦有說是鬼魂，久不久會出沒，嚇得村民們個心離一離。亦有附加傳說，有一天有一名酒廠工人碰倒這汪星鬼，被它嚇倒之餘不忘摸一摸它。哈! 一摸到它的毛皮後，汪星鬼便篷一聲化作輕煙消失了。

如此"鄉村"傳說，酒廠當然要開發一款酒來紀念，就是我現在要介紹的 Tomatin 地獄犬 Cù Bòcan。

這地獄犬 Cù Bòcan 是一款輕泥煤的單一麥芽威士忌，酚值約為 15 ppm，標準版本由陳年於 virgin oak, 波本 Bourbon 和 雪莉 Sherry 桶的原酒調合而成。這款酒於2013年十月首發，酒廠每年只會撥出一星期的時間生產這地獄犬。

除了現行的標準版本外，我在坊間見過四款雪莉特別版，分別是 Fino，Manzanilla，Oloroso 和 Pedro Ximenez finish。這四款 雪莉特別版在官網亦找不到資料了。官網上還有提供了另外三款特別版的資料，分別為 Virgin Oak Edition (2015年二月推出六千瓶), Sherry Edition(2014年九月推出六千瓶) 和 1989 Limited Edition ( 於6/7/1989 年蒸餾的波本單桶37470, 37471 and 37472 調合，ABV 53.2% 裝瓶，限量1080瓶)。

以上的特別版知道便算了，還是喝喝買得到和買得起的標準版吧。

Tomatin Cù Bòcan, 700 ml, 46%

氣味: 燒烤用蜜糖，多士，煉奶，青草，丁點消毒藥水
口味: 焦炭，帶辣香料，咖啡渣，微鹹，甘草糖
餘韻: 中等長度，烤木頭，西藥，帶鹹，甘草類藥草
評語: 有趣的氣味，草地上烘麵包塗蜜糖煉奶，輕輕一末的消毒藥水。中等酒體，煙燻和烘焙味道，亦有木質，頗有香料味道，帶點微鹹。中等長度，帶煙燻木材和香料的餘韻。這款酒雖則以 ABV 46% 較高酒精度裝瓶，但喝起來沒有預期中的重身，亦不是想像中的海島和泥煤風味。這高地地獄犬的輕泥煤，對增添風味豐富層次擔起重要角色，但可不要當作是海島泥煤威士忌來喝哦。豐富，平衡，適度，好酒。

Tomatin Cù Bòcan

前文介紹了Tomatin 入門版的 Legacy 和主力的十二年陳，兩款酒也很好喝，以香港零售價算起來亦非常合理。

現在介紹的，是其十四年陳的酒款。

Tomatin 14 years, 700 ml, 46%

十四年這陳年定位較尷尬，比主打的十二年陳老不了多少，又明顯和皇牌的十八年陳有一段距離….

“喝酒不是喝年份哦。年份不一定代表酒質…." (下略千九幾字)
明白! 真的明白! 受教! 真的受教了! 我只是膚淺的談市場定位和非達人級的普羅大眾消費者，可以了嗎?

對不起，可以繼續了。我這等凡人想到的，精明的酒商怎會想不到? 這款於 2014 年推出的十四年陳 Tomatin，是有些特色的。這款酒原先於波本桶陳年，然後移到缽酒桶 Port Pipes 進行一年的過桶，不作冷凝過濾，以較高酒精度的 ABV 46% 裝瓶。

怎樣? 有點特色，可以一戰了吧!

氣味: 氧化了的葡萄酒，乾棗，黑糖，朱古力，肉桂
口味: 黑朱古力，紅蘋果，肉桂，皮革，烤木頭，多士
餘蘊: 中等長度，黑咖啡，烤木頭，皮革
評語: 就如酒桶類型說明，很有氧化葡萄酒的風味，甜美的乾棗和糖果，點點的香料作點綴。酒體豐滿，優質朱古力，伴些紅蘋果皮的果甜，配點幽幽的香料和皮革，末後一些木材和烘焙味道襯托。中等長度的餘蘊，可供細嚼的上佳的黑咖啡和木質。我一向喜愛強化酒桶陳的威士忌，這款 Tomatin 豐富平衡，具層次，尤其喜歡那由適度香料和烘焙木質襯托，迷人的氧化葡萄酒和朱古力的風味。好喝，好酒。

Tomatin 14 years

Tomatin 14 years