Need inspiration on the type of whisky you should drink this Christmas? Read more about the making of Tamdhu, a whisky for the holiday season.
Tamdhu Distillery was born on the banks of the River Spey in 1897. Inspired by the optimism of the Victorian era the founders had one single aim: to build the most remarkable distillery of its time, which would produce the world’s finest single malt. It’s an aim and vision still sought to this day.
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To do this, the founders enlisted the help of Charles C Doig Esq—the pre-eminent distillery architect and engineer of the day. What Doig designed and built was nothing less than a pioneering distillery of the age. A water wheel positioned beneath the floor for optimum performance, kilns redesigned to reduce heat loss and waste extracted by an Archimedean screw.
The quality of Tamdhu is defined by the hint of peat in its malted barley, the fact that its water is drawn from the Tamdhu spring, and that every drop of this malt is matured exclusively in the very best European and American sherry oak casks, many of which are first-fill—which is rare in this industry. Sherry casks are essential for the flavour and colour of Tamdhu. Those in use today are of the same type insisted upon when the distillery was established, ensuring every drop is as good as the one before.
Tamdhu’s two core expressions are presented in a distinctive tear-shaped, hand-blown crystal decanter. With standout shelf appeal and distinctive flavour combinations, each of the expressions make the perfect base for a whisky cocktail.
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The classic 10 Year Old is the signature malt from Tamdhu. With the warmth of toffee, notes of fruit and spice, and an aroma of sugared almonds and vanilla, this expression makes the perfect base for a classic Whisky Manhattan cocktail, the deep sherry flavour of the 10 Year Old complementing the sweet vermouth.
For the devoted malt lover, the Batch Strength is bottled un-chill filtered at natural colour and high strength. The richness of the malt is rounded with spice and dried fruit with lighter fruits coming to the fore including apricot, orange and crème brûlée. On the finish, the richness matures into biscuit, malt and marmalade with a lingering fruitiness. The sweetness of a Whisky Sour cocktail perfectly contrasts with the intense flavour of the Batch Strength expression.
Tamdhu is available in a range of retailers including Waitrose, Booths and Oddbins.
Read more on The Master Chefs to find inspiration for the best types of whisky for the holiday season.
