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Serge at Whiskyfun called this Tobermory 'the Freddy Krueger of sherried whiskies', so let's dream of the Isle of Mull! Distilled in 1972 and bottled in 2006, the nose of this 33-year-old serial killer unfolds with old leather, roasted coffee beans and strong notes of balsamic vinegar. It's very concentrated, vinous and heavy, almost like thick blood. On the palate, the flavor bomb explodes with intense wood spices, plums and dark chocolate, leaving behind a dry and gingery finish with bitter bay leaves and hints of espresso. A ruthless sherry monster, without a doubt. RATING: 4.5/5.0 stars ≙ 91 pts → SUPERB

Just did a head to head with this from the same series but longer in the cask https://www.whiskybase.com/whisky/31959/1972-ac For this younger one (33 year compared to 39 year)at almost identical abv was the better bottle, bottled at just the right time.

The same character as the 1972 OB's of Tobermory, though less roughness in my opinion. A classic sherry monster.

[ March, 2017]  1972 was a very good year for the Tobermory distillery. It just reopened after being mothballed for 42 long years.  And unfortunately it went silent again in 1975 due to a bankruptcy of the owner.  So 1972/3 usually are great vintages while 1974 is rather mixed (as the investments were cut back drastically and the owner tried to generate some extra income with renting space in the stillhouse to local farmers for maturing cheese, no joke!). This is a great release of this great vintage year.  A full load of clean, fat sherry in a sound wooden structure combined with the creaminess of the Tobermory malt - this is a delicious recipe.  And it is a dangerous one too, as the bottle empties faster than you would expect - and you cannot do anything against it ...it just evaporates (directly into your mouth).

The legendary 72s Tobermorys don't disappoint here either, a dream of bitter, dry sherry malt with marine influences.

BLIND TASTING on 28/12/2020 EYE / NOSE Mahogany. The malt looks almost viscous in the nosing glass. Rich, deep sherry flavors, a trip to another (whisky) time. Typical Oloroso notes, only the characteristic orange is missing. Instead, dark berries, especially currants, red and black, fill the fruit basket. A lot of spice and too wild and maritime for one of the classic Speysider, which one might involuntarily think of when considering the color. Very broad, distinctive bouquet, if not overly complex. Bunnahabhain Sherry was my first thought, even if any distillery character of a non-smoker is of course gladly buried under such a heavy load of sherry. Even with the old Macallans of the 1960s and 1970s, the typical, the much-loved recognition factor, yes, the consistently used sherry casks from the same bodegas, make up the original distillate. Go on. Leather, dusty old wooden furniture, liquorice. PALATE Full mouthfeel. Extremely powerful. When it comes to taste, I immediately get the impression that the test person can tolerate water - and plenty of it. Also true. It opens up, unfolds its aromas, has a sweeter and fruity nose, and smoother and creamier on the tongue. A bit as if you had created an ingenious whisky essence, which can now be stretched (almost) arbitrarily with water and adapted to individual tastes. The full tannin load follows. The sherry has really done a great job over the years. I note down dark cocoa powder and dark chocolate, then it merges seamlessly and smoothly into the aftertaste. FINISH / CONCLUSION Forever long, dry, warm, slightly chalky finish. The malt leaves the impression of roasted espresso beans in the mouth. Excellent! Direct hit. Another drop that makes you wish the world stood still and you could enjoy it forever. What I did not even notice are classic, extra sweet PX notes like dates, which some had reported, and that's a good thing, because PX seems to have truly become the Paxarette of today, so omnipresent now seems the grape, especially in the area of finishes. More notes and reviews on Facebook at: #Maltkanzlei

Balance (23) A beautiful molt, light smoke gives it a spark. (92.5)

N: Rich, intense sherry notes: balsamic, plum and grape, strawberry jam, old furniture. B: Oaky, almost tannic and very winey. Many fruits (plums, strawberries) cooking in a pot. A little mint, raspberries. A big Monster sherry. F: Long. More woody, drier, nutty. C: You have to like woody whisky. Big sherry monster.

Colour: mahogany. Nose: herbal, spices, grass, sweet fruits, rosin, pine forest, dust and varnish. Mouth: sweet and dry with herbal, spices, pine forest, light smoke, perfume, tea and sweet fruits notes. Finish: long and dry with spices, furniture varnish, pine, grass notes. This Tobermory is a very good balanced, original whisky with unique taste. I gave 90 points in blind taste, but potential of it is about 92-93 points. It’s a perfect dram!