Tamdhu has recently been mothballed. It was founded during the whisky boom of the late 19th century and was soon taken over by the Highland Distillers group (later Edrington), after a big fire in their Glenrothes distillery.

As a single malt, Tamdhu was most successful in the value segment. This is one of the reasons for its closure, as the other Edrington distilleries (Highland Park, Glenrothes, Macallan) are aiming a bit higher.

Tamdhu 25 yo 1984 (50,1%, Whisky-Doris 2010, refill hogshead #2834, 270 btl.)

Nose: starts malty and very rubbery, with cereal grains and porridge. I can’t really appreciate this rubbery side, but it’s something I’ve come to expect from Tamdhu so it’s not a specific problem of this expression. After a few moments, it develops on fruit compote (apples, oranges) and big herbal notes (mint / verbena tea, ginger, a little nutmeg). Hints of pine resin and wax with a soapy edge. Mouth: in line with the nose: a fruity / malty centre with oranges, many pears, nutmeg and ginger. Pine wood and liquorice root. Quite herbal towards the finish. Finish: orange marmalade, a little dark chocolate and slightly bitter cloves.

I should probably add that I’ve rarely been impressed by a Tamdhu so far – it doesn’t seem to be my style. This 25 year-old is very expressive though, with a big emphasis on herbal notes and spices. Available from Whisky-Doris (Germany) for € 95.

Score: 81/100