Tamdhu 15yo
Official Bottling | 46% ABV
Score: 6/10
Good stuff.
TL;DR
A safe and predictable easy drinker but feels expensive for the experience.
Sharing & Splitting to Spread Costs
The sharing of whisky via samples has always been a bountiful sub-genre of the whisky lifestyle – one that’s been given a timely boost in these pandemic times and sprinkled with the influence of social media to showcase the joy of trying whiskies. Sharing seems to be more evident, widespread and accepted. This could be as a result of the value theme that we touched upon in our Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch 5 review.
What it may boil down to are the unseen economic forces and having less disposable income. The rising cost of whisky that limits our ability to speculate or make less informed purchases? Such reasons are individual to us all. There’s the harsh reality and acceptance that the coming years will bring more austerity and whiskies that cost us more without going over old ground.
What the splitting of bottles has done is allow enthusiasts to try more than before and engage in the collective discovery of whiskies that may have proven elusive or too expensive. In the case of this Tamdhu 15 year old, a sample was kindly provided by Max as part of a box of samples to try.
His generosity has ensured a revisit to Tamdhu, a distillery that throws its doors open during the Speyside Whisky Festival and is well worth your time. An enduring memory of our visit is the mix of old-tech and original features, assisted by the enthusiastic staff.
It’s thanks to Ian Macleod that Tamdhu has enjoyed a new lease of life and a growing prominence in the single malt market.
Its previous owners, the Edrington Group, has a chequered history when it comes to distillery ownership. There always seems to be a point where they seem bemused by having ownership of a particular distillery, unable to find a fit for its style in their stable. If you’re not seen as one of the big single malts to sit alongside Highland Park and Macallan, or have the potential to grow to that status, then you’re doomed to a meagre existence in the shadows. A more recent example of this plight is the Glenturret distillery that was unceremoniously dispatched and is now enjoying a new level of success and recognition after being purchased by Lalique Group. This has prompted the debate: are Edrington too vested on their biggest duo to show the love and attention other worthy successors deserve?
In essence, this 15 year old with its striking bottle shape, is a revival of a Tamdhu classic from the 1980s. Tastes were different back then and sherry casks were of better quality. The curvy bottle of the 80s suited the period but it was the contents that truly proved memorable. Despite all the adulation going towards Macallan and other sherry-themed whiskies, my own personal favourite of the decade remains the 15 year old. Despite being bottled at 43%, which is almost frowned upon nowadays, it offered bags of character and flavour within its glass decanter.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of that blast from the past, then let’s just say this modern-day steampunk edition has a legacy to live up to. Bottled at 46%, it’s all about the sherry, which consists of American and European oloroso casks. Highlighted by marketing as being ‘the finest’ as they always are; otherwise, why use them?
Review
Tamdhu 15yo Official Bottling, 46% ABV
£75 retail
This bottle will set you back in the region of £75-£80 which seems reasonable given where the market is nowadays i.e., young distilleries charging the same for 3-4 year old inept, youthful and clearly not ready liquid. We’re all too quick to complain about price increases – and rightly so – consider what others are charging. It seems reasonable if you were a distillery owner to take notice of the market and if your aged stock is in the same price bracket as Irish Haig, English council estate and Scotch shed distilleries, you’re going to revisit your pricing strategy.
We’ll keep that thought in mind as we jump into the review.
Nose
An old copper bathtub, liquorice and cinnamon. New rubber, plimsolls and orange zest. Ginger nuts, Jaffa cakes, Lucozade and honeycomb. Water brings out a softness, caramel and coffee beans.
Palate
Lacks punch. Very refined and leisurely with some heat on the finish. Dried orange peel, Brazil nuts are the immediate flavours. Then some black spices and raisins followed honey and a Crunchie chocolate bar. There are some pleasant leather characteristics, but the fruitiness is missing and it lacks body and a degree of complexity.
The Dregs
Not the statement whisky that was expected based on past form. Such a preconception, or hope, is my own individual flaw. This Tamdhu is symptomatic of the modern sherried whiskies that offer a safe clutch of predictable flavours and aromas. Even at 46% it feels a little thin and threadbare on the palate. Water isn’t beneficial although it does have that comforting feeling and is pleasant without bringing any drama or sparkle.
An easy drinker if you’re looking for such an option, but at £75? It feels too much for the actual experience. If you’re looking for such an easy drinking sherried release, then Tamnavulin would be a better bet and it’s available for under £30. There just isn’t enough pzazz to warrant the entry fee for a full bottle, which takes us nicely back to the theme of sharing.
Score: 6/10
-
Dramface is free.
Its fierce independence and community-focused content is funded by that same community. We don’t do ads, sponsorships or paid-for content. If you like what we do you can support us by becoming a Dramface member for the price of a magazine.
However, if you’ve found a particular article valuable, you also have the option to make a direct donation to the writer, here: buy me a dram - you’d make their day. Thank you.
For more on Dramface and our funding read our about page here.
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. DM
Other opinions on this:
Got a link to a reliable review? Tell us.
