Tamdhu 14 Years Old 2007 (Authentic Collection)

Cadenhead's selected this Tamdhu, a 14 year old from 2007 and bottled at 57.3%. The outturn was 222 bottles. Tamdhu was opened in 1897 in Knockando, Speyside; it once ran the last Saladin box maltings in Scotland. Ian Macleod runs Tamdhu alongside Glengoyne and Rosebank.

The spirit was made in copper stills and filled into sherry seasoned oak, for a fragrant, fruity spirit with weight for the cask. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, lending vanilla and honey. Past a decade the fruit deepens into fig, raisin, nuts and a warm ginger spice. First fill Oloroso casks drive the rich, dried fruit character Tamdhu is known for. Mothballed in 2010, the distillery was revived by Ian Macleod and relaunched in 2013. 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.

At its natural 57.3% it is concentrated. Honeyed vanilla and apple come through from the oak. Beneath it run fig, raisin and a warm spice. The close is warm, dried fruit over soft oak. This is a deep, fruity Speyside single malt.