Tamdhu 8 Years Old The MacPhail’s (G&M) (43%)

Gordon & MacPhail bottled this Tamdhu single malt, an 8 year old Speyside malt and bottled at 43%. Tamdhu was founded in 1897 by a group of blenders in Knockando, Speyside, and it was revived by Ian Macleod Distillers in 2013. Tamdhu ran the last Saladin box maltings in Scotland, the boxes still standing on site.

The spirit was made in copper stills and filled into sherry seasoned oak, for a fragrant, fruity spirit with weight for the cask. An Oloroso sherry cask wrapped the malt in dried fruit and a nutty depth. Younger here, it keeps a lively fruit over a developing sherry depth. Long ageing turns the orchard fruit towards fig, raisin and a warm spice. 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.

At 43% it is soft, fruity and sherried. The Oloroso brings a rich, sherried fruitiness. It is deep and fruity, the sherry and oak well matched. The finish runs rich, nutty and spiced. This is a rich, sherried Speyside single malt.