MacLeod's Tamdhu Medoc/Rum finishes

by **andrewfenton** » Tue May 17, 2005 4:02 pm

Anyone tried either of these?

1) The 1985/2001 46% rum finish http://www.drinkfinder.co.uk/showdetails.asp?id=2349

2) or the new 1990/2004 50% medoc finish? http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/cgi-bin/royalmile.storefront/428a06f3006b30c62740d85dac39068e/Product/View/0010000019971

I adored the 1990/2004 Caol Ila 50% medoc finish, so I'm very curious as to what the above might be like. Normally this curiousity would automatically make me buy a bottle, but my list of must-tries is rather long at the moment, so I'm being discriminating :-)

ps hope my links came out formatted OK....

by **Tom** » Wed May 18, 2005 4:46 pm

Hello Andrew,
The Tamdhu Rum finish isnt very special IMHO. its quite different then the usual fruity tamdhu. Plus thanks to the Rum it has a slightly bitter aftertaste with some offnotes. The flavor was dominated by a winey taste. Personally i found it a normal whisky suiteble for just drinking.Its deffinatly not one i would buy.i rated it 78.
As for the second, the link doesnt take me to a whisky. Is is the Chieftains Choice Tamdhu Medoc finish 14Y 50% you mean?
i tried that one and its great. The Tamdhu as usual with some more depth and flavor. If it is that one let me know and if you want i can post the notes on it.
As a side note, i share your enthousiasm about the Caol Ila Medoc, it is a great bottling and one of the best Caol ilas i had.

by **andrewfenton** » Wed May 18, 2005 5:14 pm

Yeah, it's the MacLeod's Chieftain's Choice 14yr 50% - would appreciate tasting notes :-)

by **Tom** » Wed May 18, 2005 5:32 pm

Here goes,
Nose: light nose, fruity with some strawberrys and strawberrysyrop. (is this a word syrop?). Subtle hints of oak in the back and slightly winey. Sweet and floral.
Taste: Dry, spirity, Slightly hints of red fruit, grapes and red forestberrys, somewhat sharp. Short but powerfull flavor and aproaching the finish with some spices including pepper.
Finish: slightly dry, spirity, crisp barley, strong aftertaste, fruity, medium length.
Opinion: 88 light fruity nose followed by a powerfull, fruity full flavor and again a fruity finish. The medoc influence changes the usual exotic fruit into red grapes, strawberry and berrys. excellent.

by **andrewfenton** » Tue May 31, 2005 2:52 pm

Got the Tamdhu Medoc. It's really nice, very complex for such a young whisky. The medoc finish clearly has a major effect - you can taste similarities with the Caol Ila version, which would otherwise be completely different from a Tamdhu.

Talking of Caol Ila, there's a new 9yr Medoc, anyone tried?

by **Tom** » Tue May 31, 2005 5:05 pm

Not yet, but next month it will become availeble here and its on my "to sample" list

by **Bart** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 4:02 am

Couldn't agree more....

Tom wrote:Hello Andrew,
The Tamdhu Rum finish isnt very special IMHO. its quite different then the usual fruity tamdhu. Plus thanks to the Rum it has a slightly bitter aftertaste with some offnotes. The flavor was dominated by a winey taste. Personally i found it a normal whisky suiteble for just drinking.Its deffinatly not one i would buy.i rated it 78.
As for the second, the link doesnt take me to a whisky. Is is the Chieftains Choice Tamdhu Medoc finish 14Y 50% you mean?
i tried that one and its great. The Tamdhu as usual with some more depth and flavor. If it is that one let me know and if you want i can post the notes on it.
As a side note, i share your enthousiasm about the Caol Ila Medoc, it is a great bottling and one of the best Caol ilas i had.

by **Bart** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 4:04 am

I had a sample of that one, and it really amazed me for such a young whisky...nice full well blanced dram...
Get some in next month.

andrewfenton wrote:Got the Tamdhu Medoc. It's really nice, very complex for such a young whisky. The medoc finish clearly has a major effect - you can taste similarities with the Caol Ila version, which would otherwise be completely different from a Tamdhu.

Talking of Caol Ila, there's a new 9yr Medoc, anyone tried?

by **Bart** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 4:10 am

Anybody tried the Bladnoch 14 yr 'rum finish'.......very nice and full for a lowlander.
Talking about lowlanders. The best one I have had to date is a Dun Bheagan 19yr Little mill 46%...absolutely fabulous..very long with crisp apple, some toffee..very complex..and that for a lowlander....

by **Tom** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:13 pm

Bart, is that a new bottling?
I tried the Chieftains choice Bladnoch 13Y Rum Finish.
rated it 76 and found it was quite fruity, oaky with some spices and a dash of smoke even. also remarkeble vanilla in the flavor and melon in the finish. Still unimpressed by the Rum however. Looks like it just isnt my thing.
There are quite some complex lowlanders out there. The trick is to find them

Didnt try the Littlemill you described but if you like complexity and are exploring the Lowlanders, St Magdalene has some stupendous bottlings. Especially the early twenty's.

by **Bart** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:02 pm

Hi Tom,
I think it's a new bottling. This one came only two months ago into New Zealand.
I could have been the 13yr old sitting in a barrel a year longer. Your tasting notes are very close to mine, specially with the melon in the finish.
I had some Bladnoch before of Ian Macleod, like the 18yr 'caskstrength 46%' sherry.

I agree with you on the St Magdalena, a very nice dram and a 'damm' shame they converted the place into flats.

Back to the hunt for the ultimate 'dram'.

Slainte
Bart