Tomintoul was built in 1965 near the village of the same name, on the edge of Speyside and within today’s Cairngorms National Park. The distillery was established during a period of rapidly growing demand for malt whisky for blended Scotch. In 1974, capacity was doubled by increasing the number of stills from two to four. Following several changes of ownership, Tomintoul was acquired by independent company Angus Dundee Distillers in 2000, which gave the distillery a more prominent identity as a single malt.

Soft, pure water from the Ballantruan spring is used in production. The tall copper stills encourage extensive copper contact and create a light, clean spirit. Tomintoul is therefore known as ‘The Gentle Dram’: a smooth, well-balanced Speyside whisky with fruity, floral and malty notes, often joined by vanilla and gentle spice.

Alongside its classic unpeated style, the distillery also produces small quantities of smoky spirit. Through a wide range of ages and cask maturations, Tomintoul offers an approachable introduction to Speyside without losing the variety sought by experienced whisky enthusiasts.

The Old Friends is a German independent bottling range from Scotch Universe, first appearing around 2018. Its name refers to distilleries that have become like old acquaintances over the years, but also to whisky as a gift to be shared with good friends. This gives the range a warmer and more personal identity than the cosmic style associated with Scotch Universe.

Every release comes from one carefully selected cask. The whisky matures in Scotland and is chosen for flavour, character and the interaction between spirit and wood. The Old Friends regularly works with distinctive casks, including sherry, port and wine barriques. Bottlings are generally released at cask strength, at natural colour and without chill filtration.

Labels provide clear information about age, cask type, cask number, bottling date and outturn. Many releases feature famous pairs or historical figures, reflecting the theme of friendship and connection. The Old Friends therefore combines transparent single cask whisky with creative maturation, small releases and a recognisable presentation for enthusiasts who enjoy discovering unusual casks.