Though Tamdhu was able to get off the ground and running fairly quickly after opening their doors again in 2012, for the distillery had only been closed a few years prior and there were still stocks to make use of. While there are currently two age statement offerings in the portfolio, the rest of the main line is comprised of No Age Statement scotches, like this Tamdhu Batch Strength. First introduced in 2015, this scotch comes in at cask strength but is released in yearly batches that differ slightly in percentage year to year. Like all Tamdhu offerings, this is aged entirely in ex-Spanish sherry casks from Spain.
Distillery: Tamdhu
Region: Speyside
Age: NAS
Strength: 58.3%
Price: $114.99
Maturation: Sherry cask
Barrel: Batch 003
Location: Knockando
Nose: Fruit, sherry, raisin, cinnamon, vanilla, leather
Palate: Oak, vanilla, hazelnut, orange pith, toasted grain
Finish: Sherry, candied orange, dark chocolate
Comments: Water required except for the masochistic.
Adam – Unwatered, this reminds me slightly of a dense compote on the nose, autumnal fruits almost entirely buried in syrup. There’s a little sweetness around the edges bordering on the chocolate, but only lightly. The palate is like a brass band, though being relatively drinkable even at such a high strength. A great perfume quality to it, teasing much but revealing little. I really recommend having at least a few sips like it is out of the bottle before you start playing chemist. Personally, once I start adding water, I need to add a lot of water. With that watering, the lovely fruit and fall flavors come to the fore, again with the sherry-assisted sweetness sprinkled around to give it a sheen. The raisin, cinnamon, orange and hazelnut influences are so delightful, with that sweet orange and chocolate in the finish to savor. For me, this is a fall scotch, something to celebrate bounteous plenty once the harvest is done, similar to how I felt about the Tamdhu 12 Year. In fact, the Tamdhu Batch Strength may have been the first Tamdhu I ever tried, which so opened my eyes to the wonders a sherry cask influence could do. While it may take a while to figure out how you like it watered down, if at all, it is not a terribly onerous trial and well worth the adventure.
There’s a bit of a maple bacon quality on the back part of the palate
Michael – This is a scotch that knows what it wants to say and says it prominently. There’s some bitterness of dark chocolate at the finish.
Ben – It reminds me of Brenne, if the Brenne Estate Cask had a bigger nose. I really like this. It is big. It’s legendary. It’s simple. Stupid simple. But it’s so big!
Kate – Autumnal pie on the nose. The flavor for this reminds me of mulled wine. But in a scotch style, with a little more of a kick. There’s a bit of a maple bacon quality on the back part of the palate and beginning of the finish.
Henry – This is a big, bold whisky. The three pillars of sherry, oak, and heat from the higher alcohol content makes for an epic dram. Maybe a little short on subtlety, but who cares? The sherry is so intense it borders on the cognac. Nice.
