Tamnavulin is a modern and very young distillery: production started in 1966 so this must have been one of the first casks ever to be filled. The distillery was mothballed in 1995, re-opened in 2007 as part of the White & Mackay group but is currently (again) silent. It goes without saying that releases are rare.
This 1967 single cask is bottled from a bourbon hogshead.
Tamnavulin 43 yo 1967 (41%, Whisky Agency 2010, Still Lifes II, 204 btl.)
Tamnavulin 43 yo 1967 (41%, Whisky Agency 2010, Still Lifes II, 204 btl.)Nose: a muted fruitiness, with some dried oranges and apples. Slightly grassy. Oak is certainly not the main element here, although it shows some dry spices, mainly nutmeg and cinnamon. Very faint hints of wax. A bit of dust as well. Pleasant enough, although not the most exciting profile and slightly shy.
Mouth: quite warm, enough punch. Again playing on the edge of sweet garden fruits and subtle spicy wood. Malty notes. Nutmeg, ginger, a little mint. Never crossing the line of antiquity. Nice.
Finish: medium length, warm and gently fading on grassy notes.
Nothing spectacular in my opinion yet anything but boring. Interesting release, certainly because Tamnavulin is such a ‘problematic’ distillery with hardly any expressions available. Around € 170.
Score: 85/100