Tamnavulin Sherry Cask Edition

Nose: Honey, malt, floral bouquet, sherry, banana, vanilla. Over time the nose opens and gains a nice, rich malty depth. Palate: The arrival is sweet and very soft, like butter cookies and caramel. Sultanas, raisins, dark honey, red fruits and absolute truckloads of milk chocolate appear in the development. The texture is silky and luxurious, but not oily. Finish: Short. Leafy, apples, pears and a little honey and pepper ham glaze. Tamnavulin doesn't get a lot of attention outside of Scotland (outside of Speyside, for that matter) which is a shame as it’s a great session whisky. The core Double Cask Expression is a pleasant, gentle whisky that deserves to be more popular, but this Sherry Cask Edition elevates things. It’s a simple, linear whisky with little progression that focuses on sweet fruity malt. It fades quickly but there is absolutely nothing bad going on here and although it might sound a bit dull it’s a delicious and very easy everyday dram. It also expands nicely in the glass with both the nose and palate showing more chocolate over time. It's one of those whiskies you can share with a complete novice and you will both be happy. The label says “Batch 30502” but this has been there on all bottlings since 2019 when it was introduced, so it’s just marketing guff. The heel L2060 code on my bottle indicates it was a 2022 bottling but I’ve had this a number of times and it has been very consistent. This is good whisky and very good value. “Good”: 83/100 (3.5 stars)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 21/07/2023 Ankara Nose: Apple, citrus, vanilla, light oak Palate: First soft and round, clear Amasya apple taste, vanilla, light citrus aromas and easy to drink. Finish: Medium finish, mostly vanilla, sweet apple aroma present. First angular then round and semi-full finish. Overall Review: Tamnavulin Sherry Cask provides a pleasant experience with its light and sweet nose, palate, and finish profiles, making it an expression worth trying. 82/100

The aroma has a lot of raisins, a bit of sea salt, and the scent of sherry. The taste features sweet caramel and vanilla, followed by a trace of smoke that leads to ginger and orange peel in the finish. It's a mellow drink with intricate flavors to explore. A decent, affordable whiskey, though somewhat diluted. I'd purchase it again for daily enjoyment. Upon a second tasting, the aroma and flavor reveal more vanilla, caramel, and chocolate, while the sherry scent fades.

Second time trying this tonight. Very subtle and lacking depth, in a negative way. Harsh alcohol presence and a burning sensation in the mouth. Abundant sharp sweetness. A touch of oak in the aftertaste. Yet, there's a hint of balance in the flavor. The aroma is overwhelmingly alcoholic, stinging and tickling the nose. Finish: coffee and cigarettes, negatively. Excessive alcohol burn.

I tried it since it was on sale at a good price. The aroma is intensely sherry from the start. I prefer a moderate sherry influence, and thankfully, the palate isn't as overpowering. It's a mild, slightly sweet scotch that's moderately pleasant. The finish is peculiar, definitely not what I anticipated or desired. I might purchase it again if it's on sale.

It seems more likely to be blended with sherry than aged in sherry casks. It's too sweet for my preference, although the initial sips were quite good). Update: After a couple of days once opened, the flavor has become more balanced and pleasant, losing that pronounced sweetness. This adjustment leads me to raise my rating to 4.25. It's now a very good spirit for sipping.