7 Tamnavulins tasted between 1.4.2008-28.5.2011

Tamnavulin 16yo 55.1% Master of Malt

A single cask bottling from this rare to find distillery. Or actually not that rare to find, but bottled at cask strength at this age. Tamnavulin is one of those making a point of being light and non-peated, like Glengoyne for instance. The nose is fruity, lots of red berries and some vinegar, very nice. On the palate there's some sweet malty notes but the high alcohol proof shins through a little too much. Adding water. With water it gets very hazy, the taste of some vinegar and dry hopsis perfectly fine and gives way to a light and far from complex but still very good aftertaste.

I hoped the strength would've added some more complexity: 7



Tamnavulin-Glenlivet 10yo 40% OB

Another version of the 10yo Tamnavulin OB, This one smells even lighter than the last one, some small hints of wood and some cotton. The taste is again a bit liquoricy but also some hints of dry steak appears. This one is far closer to a malty flavour, but still not as enjoyable as it's successor. Tamnavulin was mothballed in 1996, and from what I know, it hasn't resumed production yet. Perhaps this shows a bit why. Again, not a truly bad experience, just lacks any sign of peculiarity.

A bland whisky: 3.5



Tamnavulin 10yo 40% OB

I'm doing two Tamnavulins today H2H, both 10yo, one with the -glenlivet ending from the 90's, and this one from the 00's. It smells light, grassy, pretty plain. The taste is liquorice, not bad, but not like a malt actually. It sort of a cross between fisherman's minty liquorice and a light aperitif malt. It's far from bad, no flavours are putting me off, but it's not my kind of whisky. No aftertaste.

Sweet liquorice: 4.5



Tamnavulin NAS 40% OB

An old one with the -glenlivet ending. Also it's free of the unnecessary "Naturally light"-statement that's found on contemporary Tamnavulin bottles. It smells very light, butter, floral, vanilla, muscat and green apples. The taste is grassy, cinnamon, herbal and just a small hint of lemon. The aftertaste is a bit peppery, but other than that it's just far too light to enjoy more than as an aperitif.

I'm sure there are many blends out there tasting just like this: 4



Tamnavulin 12yo 40% OB

Tamnavulin has stated on it's label "Naturally Light". I don't know why they try to put themselves in a niche group of whiskies even before the buyer is allowed to consume. The whisky is very pale, and light on the nose, like when pouring water on the barbeque, H2O oxidising? Taste light as well, minty bubblegum, olive oil and some brie cheese or camembert.

Naturally light:): 4



Tamnavulin 37yo 1967-2005 46.7% Duncan Taylor

Duncan Taylor's been stacking this whisky since the 60's, right after it's birth. So now it's time to harvest. Very dark, smells of the sea, seaweed, tar and smoke, reminds me of many Islay malts that I've tasted. But the flavours are yat another story, there's fresh apple pie, brown sugar, honey, and a finish with a neutralising hint of pepper.

One of the best from DT I've tried so far: 7.5



Tamnavulin 9yo 1988-1997 58.9% Cask 4706-4709 G&M

Very powerful on the nose, pretty much what I would expect from a cask strength Tamnavulin, lacks fruitiness and other flavours, a whisky for the machochists out there. Can take a drop of water or five.

Strong and a bit medicinial: 5.5