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| Hello, that is one in every of our (virtually) every day tastings. Santé! |
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November 4, 2024
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Two or three Tamdhu ex-oloroso
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| Tamdhu Distillery, no pagodas but it surely’s nonetheless beautful (Ian MacLeod) |
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In reality, our foremost curiosity was in tasting the newly launched 43-year-old, which made its debut earlier this 12 months. We had sampled it on the Whisky Present in London, and this time, its substance completely matched its spectacular look—a uncommon feat that isn’t at all times the case elsewhere. However for now, let’s begin with a small aperitif or two…
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Tamdhu 15 yo (46%, OB, first fill oloroso, +/-2024) 
We tasted a 2019 model of this 15-year-old, which again then seemed to be a ‘restricted launch’—or so it appeared. Both it’s since joined the core vary or has stayed ‘restricted’, however aren’t all malts considerably restricted in their very own manner? Color: amber gold. Nostril: a contact of burnt wooden proper up entrance, adopted by moreish darkish chocolate and a double espresso. Behind that, hints of aged copper, crème brûlée, and walnut liqueur, with singed raisins that spent a little bit too lengthy within the oven. I’m additionally selecting up a captivating rancio. Mouth: a wonderfully bitter opening, stuffed with walnuts and bitter almonds, rapidly joined by the quintessential bitter oranges, tobacco, leather-based, a whiff of curry spices, and a distinctly turmeric-like notice. That espresso and the scorched raisins maintain making an look. End: lengthy, dry, and fairly heavy on some acidic and bitter espresso, with extra walnut. Completely ‘oloroso’, with oak turning into extra assertive on the again finish. Feedback: I feel I’m revisiting that properly dry, virtually austere type it confirmed the primary time. Simply how we prefer it at Château WF.
SGP: 461 – 85 factors. |
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Tamdhu 18 yo (46.8%, OB, first fill oloroso, +/-2024)
We didn’t notably love the final 18-year-old we tried (WF 78), however that was an official bottling from round 2008, sporting a really totally different design and marred by a faintly cardboard-like profile—much less frequent in right this moment’s Scotch malt, fortunately. As soon as once more, this one is completely from oloroso-prepped casks. Color: barely darker amber. Nostril: a mode fairly akin to the 15, although gentler, with extra sultanas, cloves, and a gradual construct of spices and inexperienced walnuts heading in a unique course. There’s peach pores and skin, chocolate, cherry liqueur, roasted peanuts, sticky toffee pudding, and brownies… Intriguingly, it opens, closes, then opens once more over the minutes. Mouth: even nearer to the 15, with a high quality array of bitters, bitter walnuts, darkish chocolate, closely roasted hazelnuts and pecans, pipe tobacco, toasted rye bread, malt extract, and bitter orange. End: a lot the identical construction because the 15, laden with espresso, walnut, clove, oak, and with spectacular size. The oak is pretty pronounced. Feedback: a gorgeous austerity right here, each the 15 and the 18 are commendably strict, so to talk.
SGP: 461 – 86 factors. |
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Tamdhu 43 yo ‘Forty Three’ (50.8%, OB, The Dedication Assortment, oloroso sherry, casks #234 + 236 + 1319, 100 bottles, 2024) 
This sumptuously introduced bottle brings collectively two 1978 casks and one from 1979, although calling it a ‘multi-vintage bottling’ is likely to be a contact grandiose. Color: amber with copper hues. Nostril: a shift away from the basic espresso, chocolate, and roasted walnut territory, venturing as a substitute into one thing extra floral, fruity, and virtually jammy. Notes of prune, damp earth, very darkish pipe tobacco, and wafts of peony and forest ground emerge, adopted by a fantastically refreshing eucalyptus and menthol. The complexity deepens over time, giving the impression of sniffing a black Dunhill pipe tobacco tin, an intensely wealthy mix. With a drop of water: it leans a bit towards the 18-yo, but retains its placing coherence and layered complexity. Dried figs of each type spring to life, complementing that deep pipe tobacco. Mouth (neat): an beautiful interaction of pepper and dried fruits, with dried pear slices, papaya, burnt raisins, very earthy humus, Chinese language mushrooms, petite dried figs, and roasted pecans. A shocking trio of liquorice, mint, and pepper ties every thing collectively seamlessly. It brings to thoughts a well-aged armagnac, lovingly saved in reserve. With water: deeply spectacular, with that peppery backbone remaining intact all through. Bitter oranges, tobacco, dry liquorice wooden, and really dry sultanas shine by. End: splendidly lengthy, sustaining a stability that’s without delay complicated but splendidly compact. Feedback: a real old-school Tamdhu, evoking recollections of some venerable previous Craigellachie bottlings from its former stablemate, which begins with an M. Let’s do not forget that each distilleries had been as soon as a part of the Highland Distillers/Edrington fold, earlier than Tamdhu was offered to Ian MacLeod in 2011 following a interval of closure. It’s additionally price noting Tamdhu has proudly upheld the custom of all-sherry maturation that when outlined its illustrious counterpart. An outstanding 43 certainly!
SGP: 561 – 91 factors. |
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