Tamdhu 14 Years Old

This Tamdhu, an official release, a 14 year old and bottled at 43%. Tamdhu was built in 1897 at Knockando on the River Spey, and it long fed blends before its single malt revival. For decades its malt fed blends such as the Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark.

It was worked through onion stills for a rich Speyside spirit, then filled into sherry seasoned casks, the heart of the Tamdhu style. Sherry seasoned oak gave the dried fruit richness Tamdhu is known for. Past a decade the fruit deepens into fig, raisin, nuts and a warm ginger spice. Dunnage and racked warehousing on site gives a slow maturation by the Spey. Sherry casks, both Spanish and American oak, define the modern Tamdhu. The name Tamdhu is Gaelic for little dark hill, and the architect was Charles Doig. The River Spey runs past the distillery on its way to the Moray coast. Ian Macleod runs Tamdhu alongside Glengoyne and Rosebank. Water is drawn from the Tamdhu Spring on the Speyside site.

Bottled at 43%, it is rounded. The Oloroso brings fig, date and a gingered oak. It is full and deep, the sherried spirit shining through. It closes long, sherried and warm. This is Ian Macleod's sherry led Speysider.