Tamdhu 18 Years Old (43%)

This official Tamdhu single malt, an 18 year old Speyside malt and bottled at 43%. Tamdhu, first built in 1897 by a blending consortium in Knockando, in the heart of Speyside, is famed for its sherry cask whisky. Under Ian Macleod it is matured chiefly in sherry seasoned Spanish and American oak.

The spirit was run through the distillery's onion shaped stills, and laid down in Oloroso casks for its sherried depth. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the malt to the fore. Around the mid teens the malt gains a fuller dried fruit over the orchard fruit. Sherry seasoned oak is central to the house style, lending dried fruit and a nutty depth. Tamdhu was built in 1897 by a consortium of blenders led by William Grant. The arrival of the Strathspey railway in the 1860s made the distillery possible. For decades its malt fed blends such as the Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark. Mothballed in 2010, the distillery was revived by Ian Macleod and relaunched in 2013.

At 43% it is soft, fruity and sherried. The ex-Bourbon adds vanilla, cream and orchard fruit. Soft orchard fruit and raisin sit behind the spice. A dried fruit and ginger finish lingers long. This is Tamdhu's classic sherried Speyside style.