Antiquary 12 Year Old

While Tomatin, the company who make Antiquary, was established in 1897, it has only been around in its current (Japanese owned) format since 1986.

Antiquary is a well known brand, but that is not only because of the quality of their whisky or the fact that they have been around for over a century. There is also another factor, one less prestigious, and that is their bottle. Inspired by the shape of a diamond, it has a distinctive shape; intended to give it a unique and classy look, and feel. It certainly scores a full 10 points for uniqueness, but as far as class goes it’s a swing and a miss in my opinion. I’m well aware that this is a childish reason to dislike something; but I simply can’t stand the shallow attempt at convincing consumers of the quality of the whisky which the bottle represents.

With that off my chest, let’s move on to the whiskey at hand. I’ll be reviewing the 12 year old variety today, and here’s how I’d summarise it:

Eye: Bright golden.

Nose: The fruitiness reveals the heavy use of Speyside malts, there’s also hints of honey and a quite peppery, spicy undertone.

Taste: Much the same as the nose, with the added flavor of moist grain. The finish is toffee-like and smooth.

Overall a pretty decent blended whisky, though not one of my favorites (partly because of the bottle, I admit, but only partly). So far as blends go, I’d rather go for a 13 year old Whyte & Mackay and pocket the difference, or splash out a couple of extra quid on a bottle of Ballantine’s 12 year old. That said, it goes really well in a Whisky Mocha Coffee.

Want to buy this whisky? Available in: UK & World (click)