Tamdhu 12 Years Old 2007 (Villa Konthor)

Bottled by Villa Konthor, this Tamdhu matured to 12 year old from 2007 and bottled at 51.6%. Tamdhu, built in 1897 on a Speyside site once known for smuggling, is famed for its sherry cask whisky. It was built by a consortium of blenders led by William Grant and designed by Charles Doig; the name is Gaelic for little dark hill.

Distilled on soft Speyside water in onion stills, building the rich, sherried style Tamdhu is known for. A refill American oak cask held it, keeping the malt to the fore. Past a decade the fruit deepens into fig, raisin, nuts and a warm ginger spice. The fragrant, fruity spirit has the weight to stand up to active sherry wood. 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.

Undiluted at 51.6%, it is layered. The ex-Bourbon adds vanilla, cream and orchard fruit. Beneath it run fig, raisin and a warm spice. It closes long, sherried and warm. This is the sherried Speyside malt of Tamdhu.