First Impressions
Defiance Old Tom takes the same fourteen foraged botanicals from Speyside to Yorkshire and sweetens them in the Old Tom tradition. The Douglas fir and myrrh woodland character is softened, revealing hidden fruit and floral notes.
Tasting
The nose shows sweet woodland with softened Douglas fir and myrrh. On the palate, the fourteen botanicals in sweeter form with spruce-myrrh-citrus and cinnamon warmth. The finish is sweet woodland with earthy anise.
The Bottom Line
Defiance Old Tom earns a 7 for revealing what sweetening does to their distinctive foraged botanical bill. The woodland character translates beautifully to Old Tom style, and the myrrh-Douglas fir combination takes on new dimensions with sugar. Excellent in a Tom Collins.
