Tamdhu 12 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Whisky (700 ml)

Tamdhu's distillery on the banks of the River Spey was mothballed in 2010 and revived in 2013 under Ian Macleod Distillers, who made one deliberate, defining commitment: 100% Oloroso sherry cask maturation, a policy that sets Tamdhu apart from virtually every other Speyside house that relies on ex-bourbon as its backbone. The distillery draws water from the Tamdhu Burn, filtered through sandstone and gravel beneath the Knockando estate, and the relatively mild, humid Speyside microclimate slows evaporation, allowing the spirit extended contact with the cask. The 12 Year Old is built from a combination of first-fill and refill Oloroso sherry butts, sourced and seasoned in Jerez before being shipped to Scotland — a supply chain Tamdhu controls more tightly than most. No chill-filtration is applied, and the whisky is bottled at 43% ABV, preserving the natural texture contributed by the sherry wood. What is genuinely unusual here is the categorical exclusion of ex-bourbon casks: where peers blend wood types for complexity, Tamdhu achieves layering purely through the ratio of first-fill to refill sherry butts. The 12 Year Old delivers a sherry-driven profile with dried fruit and baking spice, and drinks well now while continuing to integrate through the mid-2030s.