Tamnavulin
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Tamnavulin Distillery
Ballindaloch Banffshire
AB37 9JA Scotland
Tel: +44 (0)1807 590 285
Viewer's Comments about Tamnavulin
 The
Tamnavulin Distillery was established in 1966 by Tamnavulin-Glenlivet
Distillery Co Ltd. which was part of Invergordon Distillers
Ltd. The distillery was created in response to the demand
by blenders for malt whisky. The name Tamnavulin means "mill
on the hill" in Gaelic and it is the only distillery
actually situated next to the River Livet. At one time,
Tamnavulin was partially utilized for wool carding. Shepherds
within the area collected from the flocks which were scattered
throughout the hills.
Whyte & Mackay purchased Invergordon Distillers in 1993
for £382m. Included with the purchase came several
other distilleries such as the Invergordon grain distillery
on the Cromarty Firth in the Highlands, Bruichladdich,
Jura and
Tullibardine.
Unfortunately, a couple of years later in 1995 the Tamnavulin
Distillery was mothballed.
River Livet |
The
whisky produced at Tamnavulin contributed to Whyte &
Mackay, Mackinlay and Crawfords blends.
Tamnavulin's principal expressions include a 12 and a 22
year single malt Scotch. Part of whisky author Gordon Brown's
description of Tamnavulin includes "...it shows considerable
mellowness and contented balance. Faint oakiness and fresh-fruit,
malty cleanness."
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TAMNAVULIN
1989 CONNOSSEURS CHOICE
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY |
TAMNAVULIN
12 YEAR OLD
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY |
Colour:
Pale straw.
Without Water
Nose: Floral notes with malty and cereal aromas.
Toasted oats. Spicy with citrus fruits also present.
Palate: Soft with spicy elements - cumin. Charred
oak flavours with a rounding sweetness.
With Water
Nose: Hints of green apples with sweet, malty
aromas. Some floral and cedar wood elements.
Palate: Cedar wood and liquorice sticks. Some
caramelised
sugars with plain chocolate flavours developing late.
Body: Soft and delicate.
Finish: Slightly sweet with a touch of chocolate.
Tasting Notes by Gordon & MacPhail
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Nose:
Distinctively aromatic. An oily perfume. Oil of peppermint?
Very floral.
Palate: Clean, light, minty, very herbal.
Finish: Clean, dry, flowery. Vermouth-like.
Gently appetising.
Comment: Very much as I remember it. Fresh,
attractive.
Tasting
Notes by Michael Jackson
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TamnavulinWhisky
Distillery
Tamnavulin Whisky Distillery |
Tamnavulin
Distillery dates back to 1966 and the three pairs of stills
it started with remained until the closing. It has eight stainless
steel washbacks and a Saladin box was used in production.
This modern day, efficient distillery was capable of producing
one million gallons of spirit a year.
Although the distillery itself was modern, the visitor centre
wasn't as it was located in the old wool mill.
The distillery's stillhouse used a modern technique of heating
the incoming wash with the most recent distilled batch of
spirit. Tamnavulin's water source for production came from
the springs at Easterton which was stored in an underground
reservoir. An underground pipe made it possible to pump the
water to the distillery. Water from the River Livet was used
only for the purpose of cooling.
Tamnavulin Distillery was mothballed in 1995 and it is uncertain
whether it will ever start producing once again. Should its
present day owners, Whyte & MacKay decide to reopen the
distillery, all of the machinery is still in working order.
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