12-year-old

It took some time for me to come and discover something from Tamdhu distillery, but it’s been not disappointing at all. This 12 y.o. is a very solid malt, founded on refill sherry casks, whose influence is obviously very clear, yet not overwhelming in flavour profile. Of course it’s full of vanilla and fruits (in a wide range from apple to orange, from raisins to banana), but also displays interesting spicy notes. Everything is well balanced, without any of the elements taking the centre of the stage, but all concurring in giving rich smoothness to a pronounced malty background. The low abv makes it easy to drink, which doesn’t mean this is a “simple” malt; it’s more an elegant one, that doesn’t need to shout for being appreciated. Btw, it has also a very good quality/price ratio.

Tasted from a 5cl official sample. A bit shy on the nose. Bread, oranges and tangerines, cut grass and a slight leathery and lactic on the background. A little bit viscous, more on the oaky side plus some coffee and cinnamon. Solid for a 12yo flagship bottle, would not say not to a full bottle.

Tamdhu retaste - 12.09.2025 Tamdhu 12-year-old https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/114995 85- Tamdhu 15-year-old https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/189211 86- Tamdhu Batch Strength (B005) https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/165046 87 Tamdhu 25-year-old https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/628 89-

Reviewed blind. Bottled a bit weaker than the style demands, and chill-filtering likely neutered much of the mouthfeel that I'd like to see. No glaring issues, a competent sherried whisky that I'd like to see at a higher proof, a little older, but is perfectly drinkable on its own.

nice

Great "little black hill" (Tamdhu in Gaelic) sherry whisky for a small price, at least compared to other Speyside sherry whiskys of similar quality

A good entry-level showing from Tamdhu with a spicy kick.

People say this is the whisky that should go “versus” the Macallan 12 Double Oak. Now let’s see if this is true and how this compares to that. Pricewise I paid 42€ for this bottle while the Macallan 12 Double Oak is currently going for about 50-55€ here so clearly a win there. 43% vs. 40% abv. I often say that some whiskies work with lower abv. and that is true for the Macallan but definitely heads up for releasing this one at a bit higher %. Natural color both of them and (!) the Tamdhu is actually Non-chifiltered while the Macallan is. Now to the interesting part… N: Immediately reminiscent of Glengoyne and Glenfarclas. Refill sherry cask notes, light fruityness, red apples, dates, figs and a touch of cinnamon. At the very back some vanilla coming through and oakiness. (87) P: Whoooaw. Silky smooth and round. Fruitcake with vanilla pudding and cinamon. Then some spiciness arrives in the form of the oak and a cavalcade of dark fruits such as raisins, figs and caramelized apple with a hint of mint. (89) F: Medium to long. Leaves a lovely aftertaste with vanilla cinnamon and oak notes. (84) So as far as comparing it to the Macallan Double Oak goes I can only say after the tasting is that this one is a worthy adversary. It delivers a great value for your money and it will put a smile on your face. Now it doesn’t mean I think this one is the better whisky. I really couldn’t say. Both of them are pioneers for me in the 12 YO category and I will have both on my shelves. As far as value goes I think this packs a bit more for the price you can get it. But both whiskies are wonderful and you should try them both. Hope you enjoyed this small review. 87|89|84 -> 86,667 = 87 pts / 100

Beautiful blood orange peel on the nose, but on the palate there's not much going on apart from a subtle, undirected sweetness; the finish is far too bitter for a 12-year-old, in my opinion.

mwa

Smells more lightly fruity than matured sherry, powdered sugar and sawdust / old wood. The alcohol is not particularly well integrated despite the only 43% and the first taste is bitter, old wood. Hardly any sherry notes, not round and balanced. The nutty sherry aromas are only very obscured, obscured by a distinct alcohol. I do not like it.

* * * *

tasted with 1oz sample

The scent is the most lingering. It smells a lot like alcohol. I like that it has a bit of a spicy ginger biscuit kick. This one also has almost no finish

Tasted as part of The Whisky Shop Advent Calendar 2024. A clean and well-made malt, reasonably complex, just not overly expressive. A pleasant surprise but not one that I feel I need an entire bottle of at this time.

Quick hit review. This is the single malt that destroys Macallan? Not that it would require much effort to achieve that. Plums, tangerines and black pepper are prominent on the nose, and I'm picking up baked apple, stewed fruits and a touch of mint. It is earthy, herbal and slightly metallic. On the palate, raspberries, sultanas and banana give way to green tea and intense spices. A quaffable dram. Lingering fruitiness, gummy bears and subtle oak remain in the medium-length finish. Well, this Tamdhu was better than I remembered - a decent modern sherry whisky. RATING: 3.5/5.0 stars ≙ 83 pts → ABOVE AVERAGE

Very pretty for 42 percent.

Jase F - 70/100

Great affordable standard 12's. For my taste, the current Tamdhu 12 and 15 bottlings outperform the corresponding current GlenDronach. I'm very excited to see if Ian McLeod will serve us an 18 as well!

Classic 12 year old style of Highland and Speyside distillery on the nose. The taste is disappointing, I think the casks used are tired and ruins the whisky completely on the taste.

Nose: fruit cocktail, wine, bread Taste: Mirabelle, mandarin, pepper, citrus Finish: Medium long, lemonade

Scoring has been derived from Dramface (visit their website and check out their scoring system as this is what I use for each element) This a good whisky, the best part about it is the nose compared to the taste and finish. Feels like a bourbon cask whisky that’s been finished in a Sherry cask and that is no insult - it actually feels like it taken on the best parts of bourbon and Sherry cask to create a harmonious flavour. I’ve definitely been fortunate enough to have had better whiskies in my life however with a score of 6/10, which is described as: - Good stuff. Priced fairly, this is encouraged as a solid purchase in these heady times. We predict this may be our most given out score. This mark measures where we think the majority lie today. I agree with this statement - it’s a bottle I’d happily buy and enjoy. Even better when you find it on sale the it becomes a must try introduction to a good distillery

One of the best of its kind whiskies is the Tamdhu 12, which matures in "Sherry Casks". The aroma was a bit low profile. It had some spicy notes, vanilla, caramel, and fruits, but it was not so lively like others of the same category. The taste was smooth in the beginning and sweet, but it quickly became aggressive and had a bit of a burn, but nothing serious. Vanilla, fruits, caramel, etc., were present. The mouthfeel was pleasant, and the whisky embraced my tongue pretty well. The aftertaste was good, with a slight bitterness right at the very end. Pleasant and warm. I've certainly tasted better ones. Overall, it's a good whisky, but for its price and style, there are better options out there, in my opinion.

If you're looking for an all-sherry-matured, affordable twelve-year-old, I would say this currently has the edge on the Glendronach 12 - at least as long as the focus is on the sherry aspect. I like the GD distillate a lot better, but recent batches have become pretty soft on the sherry. Compared to current bottlings of the GD 12, this one is darker, richer, more Oloroso-influenced and more satisfying in that regard.

The sherry is rather reserved. Very round and balanced. I suspect relatively much American oak. I do not like this style so much because the vanilla and caramel notes leave little room for other flavors.

It's ok but in truth it's pretty bland and for the money you can get better than this.

This baby has very good nose. It is a proper sherry matured whisky. A bit thin at 43% ABV. The aftertaste is a bit short and simple. Very good value for money.

A very tasty daily dram. Balanced, sweet, fruity paired with spicy tones. A dram that is catchy and tastes good and invites you to refill. For a sociable evening with friends.

Very pleasant en surprisingly tasteful! Loads and loads of people talk about their 15yo but I have to say I might find this one more interesting! Red fruits, spices and nuttiness are all there but it’s all more subtle and less dominant. It results in the creation of a very pleasant and affordable daily dram. A cozy summer night will fit as an occasion but a cold winter night with a piece of milk chocolate as well. I might buy a bottle of it when i come around it some day :)

Beautiful notes of sherry carry this 12 year old malt. The barrels used are almost immaculate. There is also a malty distillate that rounds off the whole thing very well. Only the finish fades a bit too quickly and is a bit behind in the overall impression.

Banana sweetness in the mouth, plum and raspberry biscuits and oak sherry.

Underrated, underrated, underrated... Surprise of the year thus far. Cheap (44 euros, and it could be even less without the fancy packaging) --- just a solid refill sherry matured whisky that works perfectly at a low ABV. Great casks, the malt asserts itself a lot on the palate, no overpowering sherry influence but still quite mature for its age. A truly fascinating low cost malt. My bottle had quite an amount of dust, so most likely pre-covid. Water is not needed yet does no harm, but aeration is imperative (30 minutes is ideal, IMO). +1 point for the price and quality shown (better than Glendronach 12 at a lower price in my location).

Passable

Only the nose is prominent.

Good entry level single malt, I would say pleasant but very simple. Good dram to familiarize with single malts (and Speyside) but for advanced whisky-fans it’s rather boring. However, this expression is quite affordable and widely available, which definitely is a plus.

I got this dram as part of a tasting. Color: straw yellow

Fairly simple and straight forward. Not a bad whisky, but lacking that ‘wow’ factor. Meets expectations.

Nice clear sherry whisky. Now this release is undoubtedly one of the strongest representatives of the 12-year-old whisky, bottled at a commercial strength.

A classic sherry aroma, but not intense, so ... muffled, the taste is just a bomb, soft, pleasant, so dense, unexpectedly pleasantly surprised. Of the basic sherry, this one is a cut above its colleagues, such as Glendronach, Farclass, Benriach .... Very pleasant memories after tasting!

Tamdhu 12 year old, SSMSW, 43%. Consumed at home May 2022. Deep dark golden. Aroma is classic refill sherry cask - spicy ginger and some waxy apple up front, some borderline chlorine but then figs and saturated dark wood, a little chocolatey later on, candy cane starts to become prominent. Honey hand wash after a few sips. A good solid refill sherry nose. Body is moderatey oily. Good body at the abv. Taste is just good, simple sherry cask. The woodiness gives you dark fruits (raisin in particular), char and salt in perfect balance. Some heavily roasted ... or charred ... coffee grounds linger on giving a steady bitterness. This is a very, very solid bottling. You can still pick this up for around £42 which for a 12 year age statement whisky of this quality is about as good as you can get these days. Just a very solid classic sherried whisky done really well. Grew on me a lot too. 3.775/90

+ The Sherry influence is not just a finish covering the malt; - The mouthfeel is a bit thin, to my taste; - Not very complex; simple development.

Sherry, raisins, chocolate cream. Raisin, banana, chocolate cream, cinnamon, sweet. Medium finish, vanilla, cinnamon, dried figs. Typical Sherry cask, very smooth, very easy to drink.

.

Nice whisky from Speyside.

S 7 The liquid delivers sufficient strength even at 43%, it is not very complex and flavours converge into a cohesive one. There’s a bit of a price premium due to it being a core range OB, nonetheless, it’s a fine daily dram. Nose are the most impressive, thereafter is comparatively monolithic. 81-85 - Another dram welcomed

18-01-2019

For a 12yo amazingly multi-layered and profound and complex, very nice sherry barrel aging. After uncorking, initially a bit closed and spicy oak, it opens wonderfully in the following weeks thanks to oxidation in the empty bottle and becomes really good!

After pouring it into the glass and smelling it for the first time, I was disappointed ... But: with every minute more air, new aromas arrive in the nose. A whisky that needs a little time to unfold! Incredibly soft in taste. The Tamdhu 12 is for (advanced) beginners who are looking for a light sherry-accentuated and not too spicy malt. [85 - 81 = delicious --- get a second bottle if price is within the range]

Great.

Great entry level sherried 12 yr Battle of the 2020s macallan 12 /GlenDro 12/Tamdhu 12 For me tamdhu takes the title - long tingling spices hangs around for a bit longer on the tamdhu. However if you can get a good deal on the 15 (can be too pricey), its a worthy 2 pt upgrade

Not nearly as sweet as it smells. Rum raisin is by far the loudest and most immediate aroma, thick and sweet with creamy dessert dairy. It does eventually give way to bright oak but only for a moment before re-engaging and ushering in some nutty, glazed breakfast cereal and then yeasty, fresh donuts. The palate does nothing for a worryingly long time. It has a decent texture, but there didn’t seem to be anything going on apart from a slow malty buildup. Luckily the tail confidently delivers. It rallied valiantly, with everything doing its part to bring it together for a strong finish. The slow malt suddenly rises in sweetness and, as it peaks, gets all chocolatey with dried fruit and bold but balanced tannins that slowly dissolve into warm lingering chilli and spices. I’m not super familiar with Tamdhu, but this seems to be a good expression that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the other big sherry names in its age and ABV bracket. The cask strength bottling has been on my radar for a while and this has pushed it up the list a couple of places.

2021 Rating

Ist oke. Nichts besonderes. Leider für mich nicht der „MacCallan“ ersatz, vondem jeder spricht…

Every brewery has some good high-end models. But making a good entry-level model shows dedication. Lively. Sweet. Although it's a younger vintage, the quality is quite high. At 43% ABV, I think it's richer and fuller than Macallan 12.

Unhurried, easy to drink, pleasing, easy to drink. Something sherry, not too much, so that the cinnamon Brennereicharakter still comes through well. In the taste and finish then milk with cinnamon. Delicious! Nothing super special, but round and well done. You can calmly put it in the bar.

not a sherry bomb, by any stretch....but one of the most luxurious distillates on the market. nothing detracts from the velvety mouthfeel of cooked fruit and malt.medium long finish makes this one of my all-time favorite drams

B: 43%, non chill filtered, natural color, deep copper color, thick texture. 21 N: berries, burnt sugar, oak, spice, white chocolate, vanilla. 23 P: berries, oak, spice. 21 F: spice, oak, raisins. 20 Excellent nose full of sherry notes. Sweet and spicy palate with strong tannin component. Medium long finish is dry and bitter. Quality full bodied sherried speysider. Very interesting to try this one with cask strength. Reviewed 13.8.2021

Light amber color. There is some oiliness.

Great nose, but then unfortunately the taste becomes a little flatter. Still a great bottling for a standard at this price level. I can understand the comparison to the Macallan 12yo Sherry Oak, I would even prefer the Tamdhu 12yo.

It's okay for a standard sherry, but there are better ones at a similar price. I don't think it stands out enough from the crowd. You can find the full review here: https://keinehalbendrinks.de/2026/07/01/reisebericht-schottland-2026-teil-2-oban/

I had expected more, the Batch-Strength versions I found (especially the batch 002) outstanding, also with Wasserbeigabe. By contrast, the 12-pack Tamdhu has lost a great deal of sherry and fruit flavors. This Tamdhu may want to be a "light entry malt". As good as, for example, the 10 or 12 Glenfarclas he is my opinion. But not better.

It's definitely not bad, but there are certainly better sherry-based whiskies. A good and drinkable piece in a beautiful bottle with quite complex nose.

22+21+21+22

Best example of a whisky diluted to death. Great nose, and then nothing more. The Cask fillings without age are light years away.

Finely balanced sherry whisky. Orange dominates, with cocoa and chocolate. Easy to drink.

Nose 21, taste 21.5, finish 20.5, balance 21

2021-06-27

It's not rich enough, but the sherry has a lot of flavor.

Nose: light honeycombs, caramel wax, light sugar Samk: It doesn't smell like alcohol like most coasters. The taste is sweet, peaches with sugar, honey. Little complex position. Rating: 82 | 100 - Rather basic item, but at its price it does the job.

I can understand why some connoisseurs consider this whisky a competitor to the Macallan 12 Year Old. However, in my opinion, the seasoned sherry casks used in Tamdhu are not of the same quality, leaving a slight gap. Whether this small gap is negligible, given the already significant price difference, is a matter of personal opinion.

The Tamdhu is a lovely sherry-matured single malt. It's delicate, sweet, and spicy. In my opinion, it's a somewhat underrated whisky. If you're looking for a beautiful sherry-matured whisky at a reasonable price, this is the one for you. It could have benefited from a slightly higher alcohol content. But for that, I'd recommend the Tamdhu Sherry Oak Batch Strength.

Aroma - strange fattiness mixed with red sherry fruits; pleasant but strange. Taste - dark sherry fruits, honey, Christmas spices, milk chocolate, and white pepper. Finish - medium-long; honey, spices, pepper. A very good standard 12-year-old dram

The nose is great, but unfortunately disappointing on the palate.

Nice sherry drinking whisky without great complexity, corners or edges but also without major defects

Second Sample of the dram collection box I received as a gift. thnx , honey ! Pours a fairly light, yellowed pale gold. Scent is fairly mild, but some of the oloroso (?) shows in a dry, nutty oaky expression. Taste is fairly sweet, medium mild booze expression. beautifull nuttyness, oak expresion, loads of vanilla as well. Raisins, vanilla sugar / powdered sugar. Almost a lactose-like touch, even. surprisingly complex. Not the most robust of whiskys, but a lot of lovely aspects that aren't too silent either. Would surely like to buy this again !

From the first nose, vanilla, honey and citrus. Nice scale. Then cinnamon, almonds are felt, mint, anise. Like a sour candy. Candied tangerines, apricots, crème brûlée, some red fruits but light, rather redcurrant. In the mouth, gingerbread. The Sherry is more present, but not excessive, it remains balanced. Paprika, saffron, cardamom. The finish is correct, on wood and charcoal, with a rest of wine, on blackcurrant and cranberry. A successful expression, for a quality daily dram. https://ilikesky2020.blogspot.com/2021/10/tamdhu-12-yo-sherry-oak-casks.html

1698) Tamdhu, 12YO