tamnavulin double cask

Tamnavulin Double Cask (2018)

As I’ve been doing this for quite a few years now, I’ve covered a lot of ground already. But every once in a while I still breach new territory. Today is such a day, as I review for the first time ever a whisky from Tamnavulin.

Like Tormore, Craigellachie and Macduff, Tamnavulin is a product of the 1960s boom periode, when several new distilleries started producing to try and keep up with demand at the time.

Tamnavulin is seldom seen as a single malt — most of its production ends up in blended whisky. Up until this year, only one new entry has been added to Whiskybase, while a total of eight new Tamnavulin single malts were added the year before.

The Tamnavulin Double Cask was introduced in 2017, and for the first time in a long time, Tamnavulin carved out a little shelf space in supermarkets and shops. The Double Cask has matured in American oak casks, before a finishing period in sherry casks.

Tamnavulin Double Cask (40%, OB, Batch 0308)

Nose: Sweet notes like honey, orange liqueur and caramel glazed red apple, but with a hint of pilsner, and a slight nuttiness. There’s a whiff of oat cakes as well.
Taste: Something sweet (oranges), something spicy (ginger, pepper), a slight bitterness. Pedestrian and uninspiring.
Finish: Lingering bitterness, followed by cherries.

Score: 76

A great example of average whisky, which is actually about as much as you can expect for a whisky that’s around 20 quid. So while the score is nothing to write home about, this Tamnavulin actually performs to expectations.

Photo: The Whisky Exchange

Power your creative ideas with pixel-perfect design and cutting-edge technology. Create your beautiful website with Zeen now.