The manager at a Speyside distillery has revealed his personal choice for a new limited edition Single Cask (Distillery Exclusive Release), which is officially launched today.
Sandy McIntyre, distillery manager for Tamdhu Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, was crowned Distillery Manager of the Year in Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky Scotland 2019 awards, has hand-selected a first fill American oak sherry butt for his Tamdhu Distillery Manager’s Single Cask vintage (2003).
Bottled at 56.2% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural colour, Tamdhu Distillery Manager’s Single Cask has been matured in an American Oak Oloroso seasoned cask from the cooperages of Jerez in Spain’s ‘Sherry Triangle’, reflecting Tamdhu’s commitment to producing ‘only the best’ sherry cask matured whisky.
After a full 15 years in the American oak cask, the result is a complex and rich single malt whisky that delivers a nose of raspberries and clotted cream, citrus, banana, gentle mintiness, spice and ginger nuts. The palate delivers a creamy mouthful, almost a slight chewiness, cinnamon with soft fruits and cocoa nibs. The finish is long and rich, fruity with vanilla and rich sherry brown sugar.
With only 595 individually numbered bottles being released from the distillery, this is an exceptional dram that will appeal to single malt enthusiasts around the world.
The bespoke bottle takes a prominent position within Tamdhu’s luxurious new packaging. The packaging tells the history of Tamdhu Distillery and the significance of sherry casks within the Tamdhu story.
Sandy joined Ian Macleod Distillers as Tamdhu Distillery manager in November 2014, where he is responsible for all aspects of production and warehousing, including managing a team of 17.
Sandy said: ‘In 2018, the Tamdhu Distillery Team selected a Gold Award winning European sherry butt to celebrate the 120th year of Tamdhu. That cask was selected by the whole team here at Tamdhu by a majority decision, however it was not the cask I chose from those shortlisted.
‘This time around the single cask I have personally chosen is a 15 Year Old American Oloroso sherry butt, which plays very much to my individual preferences – a relaxing vanilla undertone with the balance of fruit from the Oloroso coming through behind it. A mellow dram that you can enjoy at any time of the day, but which is very smooth and particularly moreish that you will pick up time and time again.
‘The variation between the two single cask types shows clearly the colour and flavour influences that the American and European oak has on the new make spirit and allows us to marry the two together for our Tamdhu core collection single malt expressions. I hope people enjoy this as much as I do.’
All whisky at Tamdhu is exclusively matured in the finest Oloroso sherry seasoned oak casks. These exceptionally rare oak casks bear two great gifts: colour and taste. Only the best Oloroso sherry seasoned American and European oak casks give Tamdhu its distinctive colour and flavour.
The striking copper tones in the single malt are developed naturally through contact with the sherry seasoned casks, which are crafted in the family cooperages and bodegas of Jerez for up to six years before beginning their journey to Scotland.
Tamdhu Distillery Manager’s Single Cask will be available to purchase at the Tamdhu Distillery as part of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival (2-6 May 2019) and from today as an online exclusive on the Tamdhu website at RRP £250 per bottle (56.2% ABV).
For more information see www.tamdhu.com/our-collection.
Tamdhu’s core collection includes Tamdhu 10 Year Old (UK only), 12 Year Old, 15 Year Old and Batch Strength limited annual releases, along with two new travel retail exclusives, Ámbar 14 Year Old and Tamdhu Gran Reserva First Edition.
For more information on the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival (1-6 May 2019), including events at Tamdhu Distillery, visit www.spiritofspeyside.com.
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