Tamdhu...my beloved Speyside single malt distillery. I’ve been collecting Tamdhu for the last couple of years and have already accumulated a nice little cache of their stuff. Recently they released two travel retail exclusive expressions, the Gran Reserva and this 14 year old Ambar (Spanish for amber). I’m generally suspicious of anything released as TRE because I’ve had mixed results in the past...but this is Tamdhu! I have a bottle, but thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine who sent me a generous pour, I don’t have to open my bottle and can keep it stored away with the rest of my collection. Bottled at 43% ABV if it’s anything like the other Tamdhu out there it’s natural color, this one is amber (lives up to its name), but I suspect it is chill filtered. Contrary to the others out there that are, at a minimum, partially matured in first fill Oloroso sherry casks, this one is 100% refill casks. That alone makes me nervous, but let’s see how it performs in the glencairn shall we? The nose is light and delicate, not the sherry bomb I was hoping for. Those refill casks are a huge departure from the first fill casks I’m used to from Tamdhu. Dry grass, honey and malty biscuits. Lemon zest, light fruits like apricots, tangerines and baked apples. Very light sherry notes, raisins and very light oak. Whipped cream and maybe some strawberries to go with it. Lemon bars with graham cracker crust and a light dusting of cocoa powder. On a fresh pour the sherry notes are more readily detectable, more chocolate as well. The palate is just as light as the nose, but with a bit of an alcoholic nip. Slightly bitter and slightly sour. A touch of lemongrass. After a few sips the sherry becomes more prominent, but still pales in comparison to the other Tamdhus out there. Red and green grapes, raisins and an oak wood chip or two. Some baked apples, ginger, and clove. A light to medium bodied mouthfeel that is a bit thin and tongue coating. The finish is medium short with lemon, oak, sherry and apples. Well, I’m not in love here, but I’m not ready to sent it packing either. I think the key is to dive in as soon as you pour. Oxidation seems to be detrimental to the experience. It’s clear to me that Tamdhu needs first fill casks for at least a portion of its maturation. They add so much more in the way of flavor and complexity. This 100% refill maturation just doesn’t cut the mustard. I hope this is a limited run experiment and isn’t a precursor of things to come given the current demand for quality sherry casks. Not sure if I’m being too critical, or exactly as critical as I need to be. Either way I’m still happy to have had the chance to try this one and still have a bottle to keep. Cheers