Tamnavulin 13 Years Old 2012 Cask #12346016 (Duncan Taylor)

Bottled by Duncan Taylor, this Tamnavulin, a 13 year old from 2012, drawn from cask 12346016 and bottled at 54.5%. 77 bottles in all. Tamnavulin, founded in 1966 by Invergordon Distillers on the River Livet in the Livet glen, is the mill on the hill. Purifiers on the spirit stills keep only the lightest vapours, for a delicate spirit.

It was worked through purifier stills for a clean, fruity spirit, for the light, fruity Speyside make Tamnavulin is known for. Ex-Sherry wood added a dried fruit depth to the make. By this age the light spirit rounds into orchard fruit and a soft honey. Refill oak lets the delicate distillery character lead, grass over orchard fruit. It is one of the few distilleries to sit right on the River Livet. For decades the malt fed the Whyte and Mackay blends rather than single malt. Mothballed in 1995, the distillery reopened in 2007 and launched its single malt in 2016.

At a full 54.5% it is intense yet fruity. The Oloroso brings dried fruit, Christmas cake and a nutty depth, and meadow flowers and ripe fruit meet a quiet vanilla from the refill oak. Soft orchard fruit and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. A fruity, lightly spiced finish lingers. This is an easy going, fruity Speyside malt.