Tamdhu Dalbeallie Dram

I admit I love Tamdhu. I'll grab any release after they were rebranded and sold to Ian Macleod from Edrington Group, provided I can afford it (the $20,000 50 year old is obviously out of reach). The Dalbeallie Dram honors the Dalbeallie railway station in Speyside, which facilitated the transport of barley, people, coal, and casks from Spain. Only 1000 bottles were made, and I was fortunate to get bottles 368 and 369. It's bottled at 62.1% ABV, is non chill filtered, and has a natural red mahogany color with an iron oxide hue. The aroma is powerful with rich Oloroso sherry, but not excessively sweet. It presents a very deep, dark profile with red berries, raisins, brown sugar/molasses, dark caramel, toffee, vanilla, oak, and musty red grapes. There's barely any alcohol burn. It's quite floral and herbal with mint, a touch of earthiness, and a strong Big Red gum scent on the nose. After resting for a considerable time, notes of plums, allspice, dark chocolate, and even pineapple emerge. Also detected are orange peels, almonds, tangerines, and warm bread, along with slightly bitter black tea, walnuts, nutmeg, and blackberry jam. With water, it becomes more savory, revealing richer caramel and more nuttiness. Cherries and licorice, both black and red, appear, as does apple pie, strawberries, banana peels, cinnamon, and vanilla. The taste immediately delivers an intense sherry experience, both spicy and sweet, strongly reminiscent of Macallan Classic Cut. Notes of walnuts, almonds, coffee, and dark chocolate are present, alongside oranges, black Earl Grey tea, mint, and cinnamon. Water unlocked cherries, sherry-soaked oak, and a deep sweetness. It's nutty, like peanut brittle, and very juicy. I decided to experiment by adding enough water to create a "scotch mist" (which required more water than anticipated), and it turned out this dram doesn't handle excessive water well. It became predominantly bitter with mainly black tea flavors. So, a word of caution: less is more with this one. A full-bodied mouthfeel that is oily, sometimes hot, and mouthwatering. The finish is very long with sherry, tea, walnut skins, a slight bitterness/tannin, and light cinnamon. This was a monumental dram, not for the timid. The sherry is so intense it was almost overwhelming... almost. It invites water but doesn't always require it. The $160 price is high, but likely reflects its limited production and high collectibility. This isn't a dram for sipping all night; it will overwhelm your senses. It's best enjoyed in 1oz servings, perhaps once or twice a week at most, to preserve your taste buds. It offers abundant flavor and significant complexity. Rated 4.75, and I'm pleased to have shared it with my SDT friends.

Here it is- the final review I have from our small Scottish distillery sample exchange. The Tamdhu Dalbeallie Dram was an additional pour from a friend and, based on their recommendation, I saved it for last. They are quite fond of Tamdhu, and I must admit I've enjoyed every expression I've tried up to this point. However, this particular dram is something special. It's a cask strength release that Tamdhu put out as part of the Speyside Malts Festival. It's non-age stated, but you can certainly detect the presence of mature whisky within this bottle, and likely a significant amount. It's bottled at 62.1% and presents a beautiful copper/amber hue in the tasting glass. It possesses a very oily character with heavy legs and large, slow-forming droplets. The sherry cask influence is immediately apparent upon pouring. The nose initially presented hot cinnamon, but a bit of time allowed it to open up significantly, much like a well-crafted narrative. Prominent notes of Oloroso sherry, grapes, nutmeg, and roasted almonds stood out. A pleasant, freshly cut oak flavor permeated the entire dram. The palate was a demonstration of exquisite, deep, and rich sherry. There were also some chocolate notes that effectively tempered the heat at just the right moment. It remained hot, with cinnamon and pepper notes, almost relentlessly so. Yet, the heat was incredibly satisfying. It immediately brought to mind a pour of an older Macallan Cask Strength bottle I sampled earlier this summer. It was intensely sherried, and you could sense the extensive use of 18-year-old (or possibly older) stock. This contributed depth and remarkable complexity to a hot and spicy dram. It was fantastic. This Tamdhu offering achieves a similar result. Truly amazing. The finish was extended and intensely hot. The sweet chocolate and sherry notes persisted, concluding with a robust almond flavor, though quite dry. In summary, this is an outstanding Tamdhu, easily the finest I've encountered. I should have purchased a bottle myself when I found them for a friend. They are long gone now, and you would need to search European auctions hoping to find one. It was a good value at $170. The Macallan Cask Strength bottlings are now fetching $500+ on the secondary market and at auction. Save yourself $200-300 and seek out a bottle of this. Unfortunately, only 1000 bottles were produced, so you'll need to search diligently. However, I assure you, you will savor every drop of this exceptional scotch. This is a 5-star powerhouse, no question. My thanks again to my friend. It was a magnificent way to conclude the SDT. By my count, 106 different distillery samples and 60 mostly wonderful bonus extras were enjoyed. What an experience! Cheers, everyone.

Thinking back three years ago, SDT was well underway. Extra samples were included to share. A fellow enthusiast, who identifies as a huge fan of Tamdhu, generously shared this rare find. I don't have much experience with Tamdhu, but my companions have always spoken highly of it. Now, finally, I'm getting to it… This is undoubtedly a sherry-influenced scotch. However, it requires time to settle and truly reveal its aroma. I detected raisins, jammy grapes, and milk chocolate. There were also notes of Twizzler licorice, brown sugar, and buttered whole wheat toast. It's fruity and sweet. With more time, oak, almonds, and walnuts appeared subtly, interwoven with cinnamon and nutmeg spices, complementing the fruity sweetness. A multitude of scents moved and mingled together. Upon tasting, it enters velvety and smooth. The expected bite doesn't materialize immediately. Instead, rich and deep sherry and citrus fruits are present. Cherries, oranges, dried pineapple, and kumquats were noted. An earthiness of light coffee, matcha, black tea, and dark chocolate was also detected, along with a hint of minerality. The bite you anticipated at the start of the taste appears at the beginning of the finish. The spiciness crescendos and, at its peak, overwhelms any remaining flavor. However, it gradually subsides. Oak, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and almonds are present, all drying out with the oak. It has a long-lasting finish. A deeply sherried scotch, one of the richest I can recall. It surpasses Glenfarclas or Macallan in depth of richness. The high proof is unnoticeable, sipping as if it were 48% or 50% ABV. It's balanced, rich, and deep in aroma and flavor. I sat and contemplated this dram, realizing that my descriptions only capture what I could relate or compare to, but there's much more that I couldn't identify or express. Another sample or two might allow me to uncover more, illustrating the complexity of this dram while remaining approachable. It makes me wish I had a mild cigar to pair with it. Thanks to my friend for this rare tasting sample that sat in my backlog for far too long. [95/100][Tasted: 6/4/21]

Wow, this one hits hard! It will give you confidence, regardless of gender. Picture a massive orange cinnamon cake. Then, add more cinnamon on top. And some dark cherries. Now, dive into it face-first. This isn't for delicate wine drinkers. You need to let it rest for some time, allowing the spirit to settle down a bit. Then, add some ice, perhaps one large cube. Bring that 62% ABV down a notch; otherwise, it's almost at the fiery Amrut Greedy Angels level. Once it calms down, relax and savor the deep sherry and dark chocolate flavors. If I had to criticize it slightly, I'd say it's a bit overdone, as if the cook fell asleep and then woke up smelling something burning in the oven. If there was just a little less in the cask (how often do you hear that?), this would have been fantastic. Regardless, cheers to a friend for providing this rare treat; with hardly 1000 bottles available, I'm even more appreciative.