Tamdhu 9 Years Old 2013 Cask #3075 (Jack Wiebers Whisky World)

Jack Wiebers Whisky World selected this Tamdhu, a 9 year old release from 2013, drawn from cask 3075 and bottled at 51.5%. 61 bottles in all. Tamdhu, founded in 1897 by a group of blenders by the Spey at Knockando, is famed for its sherry cask whisky. Ian Macleod runs Tamdhu alongside Glengoyne and Rosebank.

It was drawn off copper pot stills fed by the Tamdhu Spring, for the full, fruity make that suits sherry maturation. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding a light honeyed sweetness. Still young, the malt is fruity and sherried with a soft spice. Spanish and American oak sherry casks build the layered Tamdhu profile. 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.

Bottled at a cask strength 51.5%, it is intense. The ex-Bourbon lends vanilla, honey and apple over the malt. The mouthfeel is rich, the fruit carried on a sherried body. Fig, raisin and oak see out a long finish. This is a deep, fruity Speyside single malt.