Tamdhu 18 Years Old

This Tamdhu, an official release, an 18 year old Speyside malt and bottled at 46.8%. Tamdhu, built in 1897 on a Speyside site once known for smuggling, is famed for its sherry cask whisky. For decades its malt fed blends such as the Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark.

Distilled on soft Speyside water in onion stills, building the rich, sherried style Tamdhu is known for. A sherry butt held it, the wood lending raisin and walnut. Around the mid teens the malt gains a fuller dried fruit over the orchard fruit. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the sherried, fruity core over time. The distillery was built on a spot once known for illicit distilling. A full, fruity spirit gives Tamdhu the weight to carry active sherry wood. An in house cooperage was set up in 2019 to manage its sherry casks. Tamdhu sits among the great sherried Speysiders, a sister to Macallan in style. The Spey valley's cool air gives a slow, even maturation in the warehouses.

At an approachable 46.8% it is rich and balanced. The Oloroso brings raisin, walnut and dark sugar. It is full and deep, the sherried spirit shining through. A dried fruit and ginger finish lingers long. This is Ian Macleod's sherry led Speysider.