Back in 1896, a group of
assemblers gathered to discuss opening the world’s most technologically
advanced distillery to make the “finest” whisky. They hired Charles C. Doig,
the most respected distillery architect and engineer, and by 1897, the first
newmake rolled off the still of the new Tamdhu Distillery, aged in sherry casks
from Jerez, Spain.
Tamdhu quickly caught the
attention of others, and Highland Distillers acquired it. Mothballing
occurred three times: 1911-1912,
1928-1947, and finally, 2010-2013. However, it never changed hands until 2010,
when the Edrington Group (the owners of Highland) sold the dormant
distillery to Ian Macleod Distillers.
This Speyside distillery in
Knockando was upgraded several times, with perhaps the most significant in
1949, when it introduced Saladin boxes to turn the barley during the malting
process automatically. Tamdhu remains one of the few distilleries to have a
malting floor on-premises and to use former Sherry casks for aging all of its
expressions.
Most of what Tamdhu
produces winds up in blends such as J&B, Famous Grouse, and Cutty
Sark. But it does have single malts. And, today, we’re going to explore
three from its core line-up: Aged 12 Years, Aged 15 Years, and Aged
18 Years.
I picked them up in a
single retail sample package the last time I was in Denver for about $18.00. I
love these kits because they’re fun and normally very affordable, giving you a
chance to taste more expensive whiskies at a fraction of the cost. That way, if
you decide one of them isn’t quite for you, you don’t feel like you wasted
money, and if you love it, well, you know what your next purchase is!
So,
did I buy smart? This is where we #DrinkCurious and find out. For the record, I
poured each whisky neat and allowed about 15 minutes for them to breathe before
approaching them.
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Tamdhu
Aged 12 Years
- Whiskey Type: Single Malt Scotch
- Distiller: Tamdhu
- Region: Speyside
- Age: 12 years
- Mashbill: 100% malted barley
- Cooperage: Oloroso Sherry oak cask
- Alcohol Content: 43% ABV (86°)
- Price per 700mL: $68.00
- Non-chill filtered, naturally colored
Appearance: The
whisky’s pure amber color had me double-checking to ensure it was naturally colored;
it seemed almost too rich. A thinner rim jettisoned slow, widely spaced, syrupy
tears.
Nose: As I
was waiting for Tamdhu 12 to acclimate, the air in my whiskey library smelled
malty with a touch of cinnamon. When I finally brought the glass beneath my
nostrils and inhaled, I encountered vanilla icing, mild cinnamon, malt, pears,
and hazelnuts. As I took the vapor through my lips, I discovered a sensation of
pastries.
Palate: The
first sip exposed my tongue to a thin, viscous liquid and a kiss of smoke. With
the second, I identified malt, pears, and hazelnuts on the front of my palate.
The middle featured fried plantains, caramel, and pastries. The back included
flavors of cinnamon, candied ginger, and soft peat.
Finish: That
soft peat increased only slightly in intensity, which seemed more dry than
smoky. Candied ginger, cinnamon, fried plantains, oak, and leather parked on my
tongue. There was a slight overall increase in spice, mostly from the candied
ginger. At the end, there was a minute hint of bitterness that I was unable to
nail down. The duration lasted 1:14, which I’d classify as medium to long.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Some
Scotch whiskies aren’t just good, they tick all the right boxes. Tamdhu Aged 12
Years had peat, spice, and sweet, and left my mouth just a tad arid. Don’t let
peat scare you; Tamdhu’s is mild and is a great toe-dipping experience for the
peat curious. Yet, experienced Scotch fans will relish it. Is it a bit pricy
for a 12-year-old Speyside? Perhaps. Is it damned good? Yes. I’m thrilled to
have had this opportunity, and it takes my Bottle rating.
◊◊◊◊◊
Tamdhu
Aged 15 Years
- Whiskey Type: Single Malt Scotch
- Distiller: Tamdhu
- Region: Speyside
- Age: 15 years
- Mashbill: 100% malted barley
- Cooperage: American and European Oloroso Sherry oak casks
- Alcohol Content: 46% ABV (92°)
- Price per 700mL: $135.00
- Non-chill filtered, naturally colored
Appearance: Tamdhu Aged
15 Years was the color of raw honey. A thick rim produced husky, well-spaced,
slow tears.
Nose: As I began
my nosing journey, I smelled chocolate, pineapples, dark raisins, orange peel,
malt, and floral notes. Pulling the aroma into my mouth, I found roasted
almonds.
Palate: I took
my first sip and discovered a creamy, full-bodied texture that left a honeyed
coating on my tongue. I took another; this time, I tasted dark chocolate, toffee,
and toasted hazelnuts on the front. My mid-palate discerned lemon zest, golden
raisins, and leather, while the back featured gingerbread cookies, Bing
cherries, and oak.
Finish: The
finish tasted of clove, nutmeg, oak, toasted hazelnuts, golden raisins, and
cherries. It was even-keeled, and while there was a spice component, I couldn’t
describe it as anything beyond slightly warming. The duration clocked in at 2:02,
making it very long.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Tamdhu
Aged 15 Years is a classic Speyside sherry-cask-matured whisky; it had plenty
of depth and was well-balanced. Fruit and spice were the stars of this show, the
latter most likely coming from the American oak barrels.
The longer finish allowed
me to savor what was in my glass between sips, resulting in a longer sipping
experience. That adds value. Yet, the $135.00 is a steep (very steep) ask. Did
I enjoy it? Absolutely. Would I pay that amount? I don’t believe so. The only
reason Tamdhu Aged 15 Years earns my Bar rating is because of its price.
◊◊◊◊◊
Tamdhu
Aged 18 Years
- Whiskey Type: Single Malt Scotch
- Distiller: Tamdhu
- Region: Speyside
- Age: 18 years
- Mashbill: 100% malted barley
- Cooperage: Oloroso Sherry oak casks
- Alcohol Content: 46.8% ABV (93.6°)
- Price per 700mL: $215.00
- Non-chill filtered, naturally colored
Appearance: I
observed a whisky that possessed a burnt sienna color. A thin, fragile rim unleashed
a tightly packed, almost gooey curtain. It had some leads; however, they weren’t
what I’d describe as tears. They were more like tassels.
Nose: I
smelled heaven. Talk about a sherry bomb! It was almost rummy, with additional
notes of plums, oatmeal raisin cookies, and molasses. Was there something spicy
in it? I have no idea because I was completely enchanted with it and, honestly,
didn’t even want to drink it. I drew the air into my mouth and tasted decadent Lindt
milk chocolate.
Palate: The
first thing I tasted was fruitcake. Not the garbage that gets passed along year
after year, but the stuff that family members fight over – the cake was rum-soaked
and the fruits slightly candied. I found rum, plums, and apricots on the front,
with red currants, cinnamon, and brown sugar at my mid-palate. Then came dates,
baked apples, and roasted almonds on the back.
Finish: I’m not
sure where the pepper came from, but it appeared at the very beginning of the
finish. Things started strong, and just when I thought it would last, a trap
door opened beneath it, and it completely vanished. I timed it twice; both
times it lasted only 44 seconds.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Tamdhu
Aged 18 Years is a stunning pour. I can’t come up with enough adjectives to
properly describe it; just know that it is a dessert whisky lover’s dessert
whisky. It was rich, fruity, mildly spicy, and nutty. There was a marriage of
rum and Oloroso Sherry. The only thing I can point to that even resembles a
fault is the finish being too short. Don’t let that stop you from grabbing a Bottle.
It is worth the investment.
◊◊◊◊◊
Final Thoughts: Blends
are great, but they can’t give you insight into what a distillery can produce
with a single malt or single grain whisky. Tamdhu’s are priced for the premium
Scotch market. I get that; there’s so much quality here. My concern is that many
people who enjoy whisky, especially in this current economy, can’t afford to buy
Tamdhu’s 700mL bottles. But they can spend $18.00 and get all three, figure out
their favorite, and put that on their Christmas list.
Today was not my first foray
into Tamdhu’s offerings; however, it was the first time I’d tried any of these particular
three whiskies. I’m thankful that I found this tasting trio. If I had to
choose, I’d go with Tamdhu’s 18, then the 12, and followed by the 15-year. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit,
but begs you to do so responsibly.
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