Tamnavulin Double Cask

A lively nose - strawberries and cream with freshly cut grass. Peanuts. A sweet chocolate raisin arrival. Lacks refinement but an enjoyable dram nonetheless. A great value sherry bomb.

Really smooth and on the sweet side, easy to the taste. New favorite.

Nose: Honey, red apple, red berries, vanilla, baked banana, caramel toffee, slightly beery sweet-malt aromas. Palate: The arrival is very soft initially with light orchard fruits and pleasant, mild, honeyed malt. In the development some more fruit notes can be discerned, but they are a little richer, more like stewed fruits with a sprinkle of brown sugar. The texture is pleasant but maybe just a fraction too thin. There is a background note of weak rooibos tea. Finish: Short. This whisky has very little finish. It fades quickly with a brief flourish of mild spice then all that remains in the aftertaste is a sweet malty flavour and the remnants of the tea note. My tasting notes may make this sound like a very ordinary dram ("pedestrian" as the dismissive official comment puts it) but it is in fact a delightful whisky. Just don't come to it with expectations of grandiose character because you will be disappointed. It has a shy, modest soul. The nose is full of gentle, sweet tones and reminds me a little of Tomintoul, but this is more "leathery". It's a comforting introduction that immediately puts you into a relaxed frame of mind, and the nose is the best part of the tasting experience. The palate is similarly easy but with a light savory note as well. Although it has a sherry finish this is not a banal sherry monster at all - the casks (almost certainly oloroso) have been used to supplement and extend the bourbon-cask contribution, rather than balance it with spice, grape and tannin. There is something about this whisky that brings to mind a glass of real red ale. The only fault is the shortness of length. The finish is very brief indeed and the palate itself somewhat abbreviated. This is not necessarily an awful thing - I certainly prefer no finish to a bad one - but you can't help wishing there was just a little more going on here. Still, this is very easy to quaff and it would make a fine session whisky. It is also ideal as a nightcap and would be an excellent dram to keep on hand as an introductory pour for novices that you can still enjoy yourself. Apart from the finish I have no issues with it and I think the official Distiller score is unfairly stingy. This is not an earth-shattering dram but it deserves a score in the low 80s. At the price (it is one of the least expensive single malts) it is very fair value and I would not hesitate to buy another bottle. I would, however, like to see them age it for a little longer, give it an age statement, and raise the abv to at least 43%. This is a distillery that has huge potential and it's a shame it is not being developed more thoughtfully by the owners. A great master distiller could work magic for them. "Above Average" : 82/100 (3.25)

Smooth - slightly sweet