Speyside’s Tamdhu distillery has released a new 12-year-old single malt to replace its 10-year-old expression. The 12 is a balanced, ‘rock-solid’ Sherried whisky with big, rich flavors, and a long finish.

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  NOSE Big, quite rich, yet sweetly Sherried. There are notes of allspice, raisin and date with a sprig of mint, before fruit cake and Sherried funkiness come in. Things progress through chocolate (fruit and nut) and the smell of new wellies (this is a positive), then tea bread with butter, and wet reeds. A drop of water brings out more earthy notes along with sweet fig and cinnamon.
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  PALATE Soft and, like the nose, quite sweet. There’s even a hint of vanilla at the start, before the dark fruits come in and it starts to grow in weight and chewiness before a late burst of citrus. There’s a further burst of rich, cooked berry fruits. Water brings out roast almond, black cherry and coriander.
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  FINISH Gingerbread and raisin.
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  CONCLUSION A rock-solid, old-style, balanced, 12-year-old Sherried
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  Awards 2019 Ultimate Spirits Challenge: Score of 93. Excellent, Highly Recommended