Tamnavulin 15yo 2009/2024

Tamnavulin 15yo 2009/2024

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside
Amber, hints of pink
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, strawberry jam, cream, caramel, malted grains, white chocolate. With water, strawberry jam, orange peel, raisins, ice cream soda. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, tingly, warm, creamy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Orange peel, vanilla, ice cream soda, white chocolate, white pepper, black tea. With water, malted grains, fresh cut grass, ice cream soda. 
Finish: Medium. Strawberry jam, malted grains, white pepper, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Sweet and fruity, quite luscious, with plenty of sweet vanilla-laden things. Water opens up a grassiness, with plenty of maltiness too. Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Tamnavulin-Glenlivet 8yo (bottled late 1970s)

Tamnavulin-Glenlivet 8yo (bottled late 1970s)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright gold
42.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, vanilla ice cream, cream soda, leather, lime zest, hints of butterscotch. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, tingly, loosens slightly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Vanilla ice cream, lime zest, leather, malted grains, ginseng, dried apricots, hints of dried pears. 
Finish: Short. Lime zest, dried pears, chocolate, vanilla ice cream. 

Comments: 

A very old bottle, but there’s surprisingly not much OBE. The flavours are a little bit muted though, perhaps there’s been some oxidisation. Lots of creamy vanilla, along with dried fruit and a little touch of chocolate. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Tamnavulin 10yo 2010/2020

Tamnavulin 10yo 2010/2020

Warehouse Collection, AD Rattray
Single malt - Speyside 
Silvery gold 
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, malted grains, white wine, vanilla, lemon zest, hints of elderflower. With water, lemon zest, cream, malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, fizzy, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour. Pears, elderflower, lemon sherbet, malted grains, white grapes, kiwifruit, hints of walnut skins. With water, malted grains, lemon zest, hints of barley sugar. 
Finish: Medium. Walnut skins, malted grains, vanilla, hints of lemon sherbet. 

Comments: 

Very tart and sharp. Lots of citrus, a little elderflower and some other tart fruits. With a bit of water some sweetness comes out, with kiwifruit and lemon sherbet. Quite bright, young and tasty.

Verdict:

I like this.

Tamnavulin 12yo (late 1990s / early 2000s bottling)

Tamnavulin 12yo (late 1990s / early 2000s bottling)

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside 
Pale green gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, lemon zest, malted grains, fresh cut grass, vanilla, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, cool, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, fresh baked bread, malted grains, vanilla, white grapes, green apples, hints of apple juice. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh cut grass, walnut skins, apple juice, fresh baked bread, hints of caramel. 

Comments: 

This whisky is quite tart, lots of citrus and green apples. There’s also a lingering underlying sweetness, which I interpret as caramel and a little apple. Overall quite tasty, but not all older whisky is better than modern whisky. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Tamnavulin 8yo 2009/2017

Tamnavulin 8yo 2009/2017

Cask Collection, AD Rattray
Single malt - Speyside
Lemon gold
59.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, wet stones, white wine, lemon juice, hints of malt vinegar. With water, lemon juice, sea salt, chocolate, rolled oats. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, watery, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Sea salt, wet stones, lemon juice, raisins, rolled oats. With water, chocolate, coffee, lemon zest, malt vinegar. 
Finish: Long. Rolled oats, lemon juice, peanuts, wet stones. 

Comments: 

Cask 700629. Superb level of strength for an 8yo. This whisky has a minerally and cereally backbone, lots of sour citrus notes too. With water, it opens out, like a bird stretching its wings, with plenty of creamy chocolate and sea salt. Excellent complexity.

Verdict:

I like this.

Tamnavulin 23 yo 1993/2016

Tamnavulin 23 yo 1993/2016

Malts of Scotland
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
55.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, bubble gum, leather, lemon zest, cream, hints of white grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, syrupy, oily. 
Tasting:  Salty sour . Green apples, white grapes, orange peel, cardamom, brown paper, hints of vanilla. 
Finish: Medium. Toast, white grapes, cardamom, hints of leather. 

Comments: 

Cask #16013. One of those slightly odd whiskies that smell sweet but don't taste that sweet. Aromas of bubble gum and white grapes merge into tart green apple and sour grape skins on the tongue. Tantalising glimpses of sweet fruit hover on the edge of the tongue before vanishing into toasty leather notes.

Verdict:

I like this.

Tamnavulin 1966 Forrester

Tamnavulin 1966 Forrester

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany
52.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, brown paper, plums, roses, toast, marmalade, chillies.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, mouth coating, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet. Brown paper, plums, marmalade, pineapples, toast, hints of chillies.
Finish: Long. Toast, raisins, marmalade, orange juice, chillies.

Comments:

35 years old, bottled 2001, cask #3807 yielding 472 bottles. Sweet, intense, almost brandy-like. There's a lot of sherry in here, and I'm not sure that there's a lot of whisky left! Still, very, very enjoyable indeed - fruity, spicy, with a little bit of burnt cereally toast to remind me I'm drinking whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Tamnavulin 18 yo 1990/2008

Tamnavulin 18 yo 1990/2008

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Pale green gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, rubber, peaches, musk, raisins, driftwood, sea salt, hints of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, watery, volatile.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Peaches, peat, driftwood, raisins, sea salt, orange peel, hints of oats, hints of smoke.
Finish: Long. Peat, driftwood, walnut skins.

Comments:

Smells chemical, although it's not harsh. Lots of subtle, deeply laid peach flavours, overlaid with sea salt, peat and smoke. Not particularly refined whisky, instead robust and earthy, unusual for a Speyside.

Verdict:

I like this.

Tamnavulin 16 yo

Tamnavulin 16 yo

Secret Bottlings, Master of Malt
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
55.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Slate, wet stones, paint, raisins, lemons, cream, butter, hints of peaches.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns to egg white consistency.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Salt caramel, raisins, cream, butter, peaches, slate, hints of peat.
Finish: Long. Sweet, peaches, cream, raisins.

Comments:

Many thanks to Jonathan and Darren at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for a taste of this. There's a chemical twist in the nose which Darren identified as Dulux paint. I agree, but think of it more as slate, or warm stones after the rain. There's also a massive hit of peaches throughout the whisky, from nose to mouth to nose again. Pleasant drinking.

Verdict:

I like this.