Tamnavulin, Double Cask, Speyside.
Nestled in the foothills of the Cairngorms, in the sleepy hamlet of Tomnavulin sits the distillery of Tamnavulin; the name comes from the Gaelic for ‘Mill on the Hill’, an insignia that sits at the bottom of the crest on every bottle.
After opening its doors in 2007 after a production hiatus in 1995 and changing ownership from Invergordon Distillers to Whyte and MacKay, the distillery is coming into its 16th year of continual production in its 54-year history. Much of their production when into a series of different Scotch blends, but they have also started to produce their own single malts. This means that the offerings from the bottling room are split into their three regular expressions and a vintage range.
Their ‘Double Cask’ is the entry-level, non-age-statement Scotch that the distillery produces, turning up on our supermarket shelves in 2016. Like many of its Speyside counterparts, the amber dram is initially aged in ex-bourbon casks and finished in Sherry butts.
Tasting notes: · The dram is a rich and amber-gold in the glass, borrowing consitency and character from the ex-bourbon cask and classic auburn from the sherry. · The nose upfront is full of sweet toffee and pear, with a hint of cirtrus apple in the back. at 40%, it stands up to a good nosing without putting up a fight. · Quite smooth on the palate, where the sweet pear comes to the fore, followed by a light pineapple and citrus notes to round out a nice coating of the mouth. · It is a smooth whisky, that finishes much the way it starts: short and sweet. The rounded, slight spice of the sheery cask sits for a while, but leaves you wanting something more. That could always be another pour, especially at the price that they're asking for this particular single malt.
Tamnavulin Double Cask offers a classic taste of Speyside that knows what it’s about, but is also incredibly accessible to those (especially bourbon lovers) who are looking for an introduction to double-cask Scotch expressions. Its flavour, finish and price-point don’t scare the casual buyer not wanting to spend too much for a lacklustre or overpowering Scotch. This does mean that it’s not as complex as its more established counterparts, but its warmth, spice and depth from the marriage of the two casks is a winning recipe.
If their double cask bottle is anything to go by, then Tamnavulin will be a distillery to keep your eye on possible age-statement Scotches that they may put out in the future.
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