Cragganmore 26 Year Old 1989 - Single Cask (Master of Malt) vs Tomintoul 1981 (cask 5985) - Vintage Single Cask

Side-by-side comparison — price, ABV, scores, tasting notes, pros & cons.

Cragganmore 26 Year Old 1989 - Single Cask (Master of Malt)Tomintoul 1981 (cask 5985) - Vintage Single Cask
DistilleryCragganmoreTomintoul
RegionSpeysideSpeyside
CountryScotlandScotland
TypeSingle MaltSingle Malt
ABV53.3%53.9%
Age26 yr31 yr
Price£226.95£223.7
Rating5.00/5

Cragganmore 26 Year Old 1989 - Single Cask (Master of Malt)

Smoke0/100
Sweetness57/100
Beginner45/100
Value0/100

Tomintoul 1981 (cask 5985) - Vintage Single Cask

Smoke0/100
Sweetness64/100
Beginner45/100
Value22/100

Cragganmore 26 Year Old 1989 - Single Cask (Master of Malt)

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

Tomintoul 1981 (cask 5985) - Vintage Single Cask

SmokySweetFruitySpicyWoodyFloral

Quick verdict

Tomintoul 1981 (cask 5985) - Vintage Single Cask is rated higher (5.00 vs 0.00).

Tomintoul 1981 (cask 5985) - Vintage Single Cask is better value at £224 vs £227.

For beginners: Cragganmore 26 Year Old 1989 - Single Cask (Master of Malt) is more approachable (45/100 beginner score).

Cragganmore 26 Year Old 1989 - Single Cask (Master of Malt)

Pros

  • +Rich oak and wood spice complexity

Cons

  • High ABV (53.3%) — may need water
  • More expensive (£226.95 vs £223.7)
  • Lower community rating (0.0 vs 5.0)

Tomintoul 1981 (cask 5985) - Vintage Single Cask

Pros

  • +Better value for money
  • +Higher community rating (5.0/5)
  • +More affordable (£223.7 vs £226.95)
  • +Longer maturation (31 vs 26 years)

Cons

  • High ABV (53.9%) — may need water

Who should buy Cragganmore?

Cragganmore 26 Year Old 1989 - Single Cask (Master of Malt) is for enthusiasts who appreciate cask-strength intensity. Best enjoyed with a few drops of water to open up the flavours. Not ideal for casual drinking or beginners.

Who should buy Tomintoul?

Tomintoul 1981 (cask 5985) - Vintage Single Cask is for enthusiasts who appreciate cask-strength intensity. Best enjoyed with a few drops of water to open up the flavours. Not ideal for casual drinking or beginners.

Tasting notes

Both taste of

VanillaOld WoodToasted

Only Cragganmore 26 Year Old 1989 - Single Cask (Master of Malt)

Malt Extract

Only Tomintoul 1981 (cask 5985) - Vintage Single Cask

HoneyDried Fruit

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