Tamdhu Single Cask 16 Years Old 2006

This Tamdhu, an official release matured to 16 year old from 2006, drawn from cask 1731 and bottled at 58.6%. The outturn was 697 bottles. Tamdhu was opened in 1897 in Knockando, in the heart of Speyside; it once ran the last Saladin box maltings in Scotland. For decades its malt fed blends such as the Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark.

The spirit was run through the distillery's onion shaped stills, and laid down in Oloroso casks for its sherried depth. Maturation in Oloroso sherry laid fig and raisin over the spirit. Past a decade the fruit deepens into fig, raisin, nuts and a warm ginger spice. The full bodied make carries the sherry cask well across long maturation. 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. The Spey valley's cool air gives a slow, even maturation in the warehouses. Tamdhu was built in 1897 by a consortium of blenders led by William Grant.

At cask strength 58.6% it is rich and full. The Oloroso brings dried fruit, fig and a nutty depth. It is full and deep, the sherried spirit shining through. Raisin and a warm ginger draw out the close. This is Ian Macleod's sherry led Speysider.