Old old and new old Tamnavulin

September 4, 2013

Old old and new old Tamnavulin

We’re not talking much about Tamnavulin these days, are we? A fairly new but very old one by Germany’s Sansibar is a good occasion to do so. And then we’ll have an old official.

Tamnavulin 45 yo 1967/2012 (40.3%, Sansibar, bourbon, 182 bottles)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: good wood! I mean, there is a lot of oak at very first sniffs but it’s all perfectly polished and rather akin to bananas and cappuccino, if you see what I mean. Light cinnamon as well, then more notes of gueuze beer (apples), beeswax and herbal teas. That part would never stop growing, but always in a lightish way. More globally, it’s a delicate old malt, maybe a little fragile so far. Mind you, it’s barely whisky at 40.3% vol. Mouth: fragile indeed. It’s not gone off the tracks yet but you’re really feeling the mint oils from the wood, the sap and all that. What’s quite a miracle is that the fruits still compensate for that, with nice notes of sweet apples and banana skin. I have to say this lightness is pleasant, this kind of very old yet very fruity malt is rare. Or maybe also at Tomintoul’s? Finish: short and light, obviously. I’d even say evanescent. In the aftertaste (that’s soon to come), maybe a little… champagne? Comments: I’ll be a little optimistic with my score, because of all these miracles and because of the Rolling Stones. Hope you understand. Maybe one of the easiest very old malts ever. SGP:441 - 86 points.

Tamnavulin-Glenlivet 25 yo (45%, OB, Stillman's Dram, 1800 bottles, +/-2000)

We had the vintage versions in the past but never this 25. It’s more than time. Colour: pale gold. Nose: an unusual one, much grassier and even slightly peaty, that would develop mostly on fresh nuts and then camphor. Hazelnuts and almonds are prominent but fresh walnuts aren’t that far. Also new thuja wood, pinesap, light cough syrup… I have to say I quite enjoy this big grassiness. Mouth: more power and a global style that’s not too far from the 1967, except that this has more oomph. Grass, walnuts, banana skin, a drop of crème de menthe, apple peelings, green tea… I must say it tastes older than 25 yo. Hold on, maybe it IS older than 25 yo? That wouldn’t surprise me… Finish: not very long but much more peppery, almost prickly. Ginger tonic. Comments: an unusual one, not always very easy. The nose was more to my liking than the palate. SGP:351 - 81 points.

Check the index of all Tamnavulin I've tasted so far

Pete McPeat and Jack Washback


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