Introduction
Today, we're diving into Tamdhu 10 Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This whisky comes from the Tamdhu Distillery in the Speyside region of Scotland. Tamdhu 10 is aged for 10 years exclusively in Sherry casks, which gives it a distinctive flavor profile. It clocks in at 86 proof, or 43% ABV. We're excited to see what this one has in store for us, so read on for our Tamdhu 10 review.
The following review is taken from our episode "The Gold Rush / Tamdhu 10 Single Malt Scotch." Click the link to listen to this review in audio format.
Nose
Bob: This is an interesting nose for me, Brad. We've had a few Speyside whiskies on the show before, like Glenlivet and Ardbeg. We often talk about how soft, delicate, floral, and fruity they are. This one really toes the line for me between smelling like a Speyside and a Highland. I get a lot of Glenmorangie on this, to be frank. There’s a lot more malt, more spiciness, and a very faint whisper of almost gasoline. You know what I mean? Like it's not nail polish remover, but it has that slight “oh, you need to take a step back here” danger on your nose. But mixed with all those lovely floral and fruit notes as well. It's a little bit perplexing because I don't know what to expect on the palate, but I am going to give it an 8/10 on the nose.
Brad: Yeah, Bob. As I jumped into the nose here, this is deluxe. I got strawberry jam, honey, and a bit of an orange peel citrus zest feel to it. The longer I sat with it, the more I felt like there was an almond extract nuttiness going on that I really enjoyed. I give it a 9/10 on the nose.
Taste
Brad: When I got into the palate, Bob, the almond feel came right to the front. I think I got almond slices, some cherry, some strawberry shortcake with a whipped cream creaminess feel to it. Then the barley really started to come through on the palate, but it was soft enough that it didn't overwhelm any of the other flavors going on. I'm sticking at a 9/10 on the taste. I think this is a really incredible Scotch.
Bob: For me, it’s a lot darker than what you're describing, Brad. I think if there's a fruit on it for me, it's almost like a Luxardo cherry, a brandied dark stone fruit. Then, all the barley in the world followed by some smokiness, and it's closer to a char or ash than it is a peat smoke. Definitely darker in character. I would say this tastes more like a Highland Scotch to me than a Speyside, just based on the ones we've tried so far. I like this a lot. It is surprising me in ways that I definitely didn't expect. So I'm gonna give it a 7/10 on the taste.
Finish
Brad: The finish is really nice. It’s got about a medium finish. It doesn't last crazy long, but it sticks with you for a little bit. For me, I got into the darker fruit territory on the finish—blackberries, plum. The almond stuck around, and then it had a nice vanilla burst at the end that was intriguing. I give it an 8.5/10 on the finish.
Bob: I think this is a good call here. I was trying to pinpoint the sweetness that I normally get on American whiskies, and it wasn’t caramel. Definitely vanilla. It’s really good, man. I will say that this is a little spicier than I thought it would be. It’s definitely not alcohol forward, not prickly in that way, but it's got some black pepper on it, which is really nice. It's almost reminiscent of the rye whisky of the Speyside region, if that makes sense. I like it a lot. I'm going to give it a 7.5/10 on the finish.
Balance
Brad: I give it a 9.5/10 on balance. I think that there's a complexity of flavor mixed with a really nice experience that isn’t a roller coaster. This is a very well-balanced whisky worth a 9.5.
Bob: I think that this is a very well-balanced whisky. I don't think that there was much on the nose that teased something that wasn’t there on the taste or finish. It definitely feels out of place, but just different from the Speysides we've tried so far. But that difference was apparent from the get-go, and so I think it is a really consistent product. I'll give it an 8/10.
Value
Brad: Bob, the best I can tell is that it's around a $50 whisky in the States. I think this is a great value for $50. It’s a 10-year Scotch with a very unique flavor profile. According to the region that it’s from, and for $50, I’ll give it a 9/10.
Bob: Yeah, that's exactly what I gave it. I think if this was anything under $50, it'd be a 10/10. At $50, it’s right where it should be, if not a little higher. This could be a $60 bottle of whisky, and I’d be like, yeah, that makes sense. So at $50, this is a 9/10 value.
Final Scores
Brad: I am coming out to a very high and I think a little bit higher than yours—45/50.
Bob: I'm at a 40/50. I will add that I like this less than you, and the reason I'm at a 40 is that I gave it a 9/10 on value. It would be a 31/40 on just the tasting experience, which is still very good. But this is not in my upper echelon of Scotches that we've tried for this show, but it sounds like it's really checking all the boxes for you.
Brad: Yeah, I believe that would put me at a 36/40. So yes, I very much enjoy this whisky. I think that it’s very easily worth a buy or a try if you find it out in the wild.
Bob: I'll agree with that. We’re coming out to an average of 42.5/50 or an 85/100. Darn good whisky, Brad.
Conclusion
For context, an 85/100 is a great score, and we highly recommend trying a pour at a bar or buying a bottle. Generally, a 35/50 is where we’d typically recommend trying a pour, a 40/50 is considered great, and a 45/50 is excellent. So, if you come across Tamdhu 10, don't hesitate to give it a try.
