Tamdhu 10 Year

During a blind sherry tasting featuring 8 distinct sherried whiskies, Tamdhu 10 came in last place by a significant margin. While the other seven were rich, decadent sherried drams brimming with dark fruits, dark chocolate, butterscotch, and crème brûlée, this one was like a beer. The aroma is overwhelmingly dominated by the spirit itself, with hints of young malt and organic solvent. There are light fruit and nutty popcorn notes, almonds, and sherry, but not enough sherry presence. The initial taste is nutty, malty, and citrusy, gradually revealing dark fruit notes. Orange peels, white pepper, and a subtle smoke emerge toward the finish. The finish is its sole redeeming quality. The nose and palate clearly indicate that the Tamdhu new make spirit doesn't approach the Macallan caliber they aim for, and this product is too young, requiring more barrel influence to mitigate its shortcomings. I suspect the batch strength Tamdhu, officially NAS, is actually 11-12 years old. I thoroughly enjoyed batch #1, less so batch #2. Having now tasted Tamdhu 10, I'm detecting some negative characteristics in batch #1 that were masked by the higher ABV and, I believe, longer barrel aging. Therefore, not only is this bottle not worth the premium price for a 10-year-old, but it also made another bottle (batch 1) seem less worthwhile by highlighting Tamdhu’s flaws. I am definitely finished exploring this distillery. It is certainly not a glimpse into Macallan's future. PRESUMPTIVE MARK: 77/100. For your interest, here is the ranking of the 8 whiskies: 1. Aberlour A’bunadh B34 NAS 59.5% 2. Arran Single Cask Sherry OB D1997/B2013 Spring Release 52.8% 3. Glendronach 12 year B2016 (1L travel retail) 43% 4. Tamdhu Batch Strength #1 NAS B2015 58.8% 5. Famous Grouse 18 year 43% 6. Macallan Edition No. 1 NAS 48.1% 7. Tomatin 18 year B2017 46% 8. Tamdhu 10 year B2017 43%

I acquired this bottle solely because it was discontinued. I haven't tried the new age statement, so I can't compare this old flagship bottling to their previous one. Instead, I'll review this one based on its own qualities. Nose: Gala apple, pear, and apricot with some light honeydew. Orange citrus and cocoa. Red and green grape with some toffee, vanilla, butterscotch, date, fig, and raisin. Car seat leather. Almond, cinnamon, and oak. Typical pleasant sherry cask characteristics. Palate: More gala apple, pear, apricot, and honeydew. Caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, and toffee. Almond and milk chocolate. Orange and milk chocolate. Cherry, grape, date, fig, and plum. A velvety mouthfeel. A pleasing palate. Finish: Pear, gala apple, and apricot. Nice orange citrus. Milk chocolate and cocoa. Almond, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Short to medium length. Well, I'm pleased I purchased this. I've had two positive experiences with Tamdhu. Batch Strength 004 is clearly superior, but that's not a significant drawback. This is a very good malt in its own right. 3.75/5. It was definitely worth trying. I'm curious to see how the 12 year will serve as a permanent replacement. Until then, well done Tamdhu.

A full-on sherry bomb that I've wanted to try for a while. On sale for $53, and I needed a sherried scotch to replace the wonderful Balvenie 15 I just finished. This has a similar profile to good old Mac 12 but with less body and mouthfeel. The nose has candied fruits, some good malt notes, and splintered wood. You have to search a bit as it's a little reserved. The palate reminds me of those sugared orange slice candies surrounded by rich malt, vanilla coconut milk, baking spices, and toasted barrel. It's quite tasty, and repeated sips enhance the flavors. The finish is a tad short, with the fruity spiced malt fading quickly and the wood drying out just slightly. It delivers what you'd expect from a quality sherried scotch. It can't compete with GD or Mac, but it's in line with many other competitors. I'm willing to bet the vaunted batch strength or the 15-year-old are fantastic. Overall, I'm glad I bought it and will continue with this distillery......86/100

An intricate Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Tamdhu Distillery in Speyside, Scotland, crafted using only a faint trace of peat smoke for the barley preparation, then aged for a decade in a superior blend of first-fill and refill Sherry casks. It possesses an earthy foundation with notes of forest floor, dried orange peel, red wine, pecan, raspberry jam, subtle hints of vanilla & cinnamon; while a complex development introduces notes of butter, caramel, crystallized ginger, apple, pear, brown sugar & berries; culminating in a medium-length spicy finish with notes of black currant, smoke, sherry, pepper & chocolate. February 2020 / September 2022

I recall this one being divisive in past feedback, with some liking it and others not. It may be a genuine case of distillery batch variance, similar to my experience with Tamdhu cask strength where others praised it and I found nothing notable. This time is different; I truly savored it. It's not as intricate as the Macallan Whiskey Makers Edition, but it performs its intended role well and lacks that edition's bitterness in the finish. Notes of currants, toffee, and more – a pleasant dram. 4

Enjoyed at a tasting led by brand ambassador Gordon Dundas. The color is yellow-gold. A delicate whisky with medicinal notes, citrus fruits, and herbal remedies. A lingering warming finish. Very good quality. Updated: Had another bottle and completely different impressions. Nose: 21, Palate: 22, Finish: 22, Balance: 21. The aroma is sweet with vanilla, mimosa, and dried apricot. The taste is rich, slightly sweet, and clear: fruit, citrus, and candied peel.