Since its relaunch under Ian Macleod Distillers in 2013, Tamdhu has built a quiet but devoted following among lovers of sherried Speysiders. Released in numbered batches, Tamdhu Batch Strength is the distillery's signature cask strength bottling, drawn entirely from first-fill Oloroso sherry-seasoned casks and released without chill filtration.
Each batch is slightly different, and aficionados keep careful track of the number on the label, but the intention is consistent: a generous, unapologetically sherried Speyside whisky presented at natural strength, typically in the high fifties. The approach is simple but expensive: first-fill European oak sherry casks are the costliest wood in the business, and Tamdhu's decision to build its identity around them was a significant investment when Ian Macleod rescued the mothballed distillery from Edrington.
Tamdhu itself was founded in 1897 at Knockando on the banks of the Spey, designed by the distillery architect Charles Doig. For most of its working life it was a workhorse filling casks for the Famous Grouse blend, and its single malt releases were rare. The modern Batch Strength is therefore a statement of intent as much as a product, proof that Tamdhu has recast itself as a sherry cask specialist in the Glenfarclas and GlenDronach tradition.
Served neat, it offers the full weight of Oloroso influence, but it responds well to a splash of water, which draws out softer berry fruit and tames the peppery edge. It is a robust after-dinner dram, and a clear demonstration of just how much character first-fill sherry wood can contribute to a Speysider when the distillery commits to it fully.
For its rescued status alone, Tamdhu Batch Strength is a release worth raising a glass to.
