Tamdhu Distillery — Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Tamdhu Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery located in the village of Knockando, on the banks of the River Spey in Speyside, Scotland. It was founded in 1897 and is currently owned by Ian Macleod Distillers, who revived production after a period of dormancy. Tamdhu is notable for maturing its whisky exclusively in sherry casks, a rare commitment among Scotch distilleries.

History

Tamdhu was established in 1896–97 by a consortium of whisky blenders on a site chosen for its proximity to the River Spey and the Knockando railway station, with the distillery designed by noted architect Charles C. Doig. It passed into the hands of Highland Distillers early in its history and, for much of the 20th century, produced malt whisky primarily for blends, most notably The Famous Grouse. The distillery weathered periods of closure, including a lengthy shutdown between 1928 and 1947, and later underwent expansion in the 1970s that took its still count from four to six. Production was mothballed again in 2010 amid an industry-wide malt whisky surplus. In June 2011, independent bottler Ian Macleod Distillers acquired Tamdhu, and after refurbishing the site, resumed distilling in 2013. Since then the distillery has rebuilt its identity around 100% sherry-cask maturation, using both American and European oak Oloroso sherry butts, and added an on-site cooperage in 2019 to maintain quality control over its casks.

Quick Facts

• Region: Speyside
• Founded: 1897
• Owner: Ian Macleod Distillers
• Status: Active
• Stills: 3 wash stills, 3 spirit stills

Core Range

Tamdhu's core range is built entirely on sherry-cask-matured whisky and includes the Tamdhu 12 Year Old (43% ABV, natural colour), the Tamdhu 15 Year Old (46% ABV, non-chill-filtered, natural colour), and the Tamdhu 18 Year Old, alongside a no-age-statement Batch Strength expression bottled at cask strength. Older limited releases, including 21-year-old and 50-year-old bottlings, have also appeared under the Tamdhu name.