Digging deep into the back of the cupboard and I find this random pick from a supermarket. This isn’t my first Tamnavulin either. That honour went to the Double Cask and if I can find the notes I took I will probably write about that one next. I guess I must have found it pretty ok if I bought this red wine version anyway.

The Distillery

Tamnavulin distillery is one of the new-ish distilleries as I categories those built in the 1960’s. A distillery built purely as a factory in the style of the times. I guess Victorian distilleries were equally built as factories but their fashion at the time was to at least show some interest and care in the physical appearance of the building. The richness of the design showed the success of the owner. Not so in the 1960’s, this is absolutely a grey concrete brutalist facility.

Owned by Whyte&Mackay since the Invergordan purchase alongside Jura, Bruichladdich and Tullibardine. As I have mentioned before Bruichladdich and Tullibardine got mothballed and in the early 90’s Tamnavulin met the same fate. However, since 2007 the distillery has been operating and producing some 4.3 million litres of alcohol mostly for blending.

The Whisky

The red wine cask release is a 40% ABV bottle as a brand of single malts under the distillery name. The red wine product is a French Cabernet Sauvignon finished whisky of overall probably less than 10 years old. You can expect to get this on offer in a supermarket but full price will be just short of 40 pounds.

Tasting Notes

Colour – orange maramalade

Nose – honey and red fruits. touch of like a strawberry and champagne jam vibe

Palate – even at 40% it nips the sides of the cheeks. follows the nose though. very little different

Finish – buttery toast and jam but perhaps the jam is spread pretty thin

Final Thoughts

It’s not a bad whisky but I wouldn’t say I have anything to say. Drinkable but forgettable