Tamdhu‑Glenlivet 2013/2025 Cadenhead’s Original Collection 12 Year Old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%
Cadenhead's Original Collection Tamdhu‑Glenlivet 12 Year Old 70CL / 46%
Speyside, seen through Cadenhead’s lens. No colouring, no chill‑filtration — just Tamdhu’s own spicy, fruit‑forward soul lifted to 46% and left for the oloroso cask to do the rest.
This is an independent bottling from Cadenhead’s, Scotland’s oldest independent bottler, in their Original Collection. The spirit comes from Tamdhu in the heart of Speyside, a distillery founded in 1897 and known for a style rich in spice and dried fruit. “Glenlivet” in the name is old Speyside tradition — a regional suffix from the days when the name was a mark of quality, not a reference to another distillery. Tamdhu itself sits in Knockando by the River Spey and is today owned by Ian Macleod Distillers, who have shaped the distillery into a distinctly sherry‑driven house.
The whisky has spent twelve years in refill oloroso hogsheads. The fact that these are refill casks rather than first‑fill matters: the sherry influence becomes more restrained, giving Tamdhu’s own distillate and fruit room to shine instead of being buried under dark, heavy sherry. The result is a more savoury, spicy style with baked fruit rather than a dense sherry bomb. Tamdhu is otherwise a key component in blends like Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark, but here the distillate stands entirely on its own.
Nose: Dulce de leche and soft caramel, a streak of raspberry ice cream and baked pears. Sweet and inviting, with Speyside fruit up front.
Palate: Blueberries and crystallised ginger meet a grainy, almost rye‑bread‑like note. Spicy and savoury, with an oily weight that carries the 46% beautifully.
Finish: Mandarins and vanilla sliding into a touch of lemongrass. Medium length and fresh on the exit.
Flavour profile: Sherried · Spicy · Fruity · Creamy · Savoury
Name: Cadenhead’s Original Collection Tamdhu‑Glenlivet 12 Year Old
Distillery: Tamdhu
Bottler: Cadenhead’s (Original Collection)
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 700 ml
Cask type: Refill oloroso hogsheads
Edition: Original Collection, batch May 2026
EAN: 6 10854 01269 4
Did you know? Tamdhu was one of the last distilleries to malt all its own barley on site using a mechanical Saladin box — and the building still lacks the classic pagoda‑style kiln roof that has become a hallmark of Scottish distilleries.
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