Tamnavulin 18 Years Old 2000 Vintage (45%, OB, 2019)

• ABV: 45%
• Age: 18 Years Old
• Bottling: OB
• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Cost: £120 available from The Whisky Exchange
• Origin: Tamnavulin distillery
• Vintage: 2000

What they say

Despite the distillery’s closure between 1995 and 2007, for a brief five weeks in the spring of 2000 the stills were relit and this Tamnavulin single malt was made. Matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and Amoroso sherry casks for 18 years before being bottled in 2019 for the distillery’s Vintage Collection.

Matured in a special assemblage of First Fill Bourbon Barrels, 30 Year Old Oloroso Sherry, Matusalem & Aged Oloroso Amoroso Sherry casks for a total of 18 years.

Official tasting notes:

• Colour Golden.
• Nose Hints of honey, creamy caramel, tropical fruits and a touch of cinnamon.
• PaletSweet, warm flavours of toffee apple, Madagascan vanilla, hazlenuts and butterscotch candy.

What I say

Dram #4 of the 2019 #WhyteChristmas twitter tasting from Whyte & Mackay and hosted by Steve @thewhiskywire

Distilled in Tamnavulin in 2000 during a brief opening period more than likely for a maintenance period to check the equipment. This parcel of whisky has seen a variety of cask types including Matusalem sherry favoured by Whyte & Mackay’s Master Blender Richard Paterson. The result forms part of Tamnavulin’s impressive vintage range of single malts.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Full amber gold (10/20), slow medium tears and fine legs
• Nose: Fruity and full, red fruits, plums, berries, raisins, raspberry ripple ice cream topped with chopped nuts and cinnamon, oak wood and milk chocolate
• Taste: Medium-bodied. Subtler fruits on the palate, silky, plum and raspberry jam or coulis, almond and brazil nut brittle, earthy vanilla pod, banoffee pie and raspberry ripple ice cream.
• Finish: Medium-short, dark chocolate with honey and raspberry centres.

Overall

A good mix of gentle and sweet Speyside character with heavy sherry maturation, in a similar vein to Aberlour or Macallan outputs. This is a great expression from a relatively sparse offering of official bottlings from Tamnavulin.

Score 85/100

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