Highland Single Malt Whisky 12 y.o. (Peated) - Rum Casks Finish - Thompson Bros.

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 45.7% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

A three-year finish in casks previously used for Caribbean rum shapes this peated Highland Single Malt. This finishing period accounts for the final three years of its total maturation of more than twelve years. Thompson Bros. selected the whisky from an unnamed Highland distillery and bottled it at 45.7% in 0.7-litre bottles. The release comprises 895 bottles, with no chill filtration or added colouring.

Sweet caramel and vanilla notes, along with ripe tropical fruit, complement the earthy peat smoke. The soft texture contrasts with the dry, woody spice of the finish. Thompson Bros. themselves suggest an unusual pairing: tomato gazpacho.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Smoke is pronounced on the nose, accompanied by earthy peat notes. Vanilla adds a gentle sweetness, while caramel is only faintly perceptible.
• Palate: Creamy caramel notes meet spicy wood on the palate. The smoke is softer than on the nose and accompanies delicate vanilla notes.
• Finish: Caramel sweetness lingers through the long finish. Subtle woody spice joins it before the whisky ends on a dry note.

Distillery/Bottler:

Thompson Bros. is the work of brothers Simon and Phil Thompson from Dornoch in the northern Highlands. Their exploration of older whiskies at the Dornoch Castle Hotel whisky bar led them to establish their own distillery. Following a crowdfunding campaign, they began producing whisky in 2017 in a former fire station dating from the 1880s.

While their own whisky matured, the brothers developed their independent bottling business. For the Thompson Bros. label, they source whiskies from other distilleries, oversee their further maturation and bottle whisky from single casks and in small batches at their warehouse on Station Road. Every release in this bottling range is free from chill filtration and added colouring. For this Highland Single Malt, Thompson Bros. handle selection and bottling; the distillery of origin remains unnamed.

Facts: