Whenever my wife and I find the time, we spend a few days on our favourite island Helgoland in the open North Sea – one of the most beautiful travel destinations I have ever been to and the perfect place to find a little peace and regeneration. Especially in the afternoon, when the last excursion boat has left the island, Helgoland turns into the most contemplative place where people do not even know what hecticness, stress or rush are. But there is another reason why whisky enthusiasts like me love this island. You can go on a tax-free shopping tour! As many shops on the island are specialized in spirituous beverages, you will surely find a whisky that fits your preferences. This time I bought a beautiful bottle of Tamdhu Batch Strength 002. This powerful sherry monster is fully loaded with dried and fresh red fruits as well as spiciness and sweetness. It somehow reminds me of a cake our neighbors used to make back in the days; a cake that often left me disappointed because I did not get a piece of it. Thankfully, this whisky does not give me any reason for disappointment at all. Just like last year’s Batch 001, this is a wonderful whisky you should try to get your hands on.

by Aaron

Eye: Dark amber.
Nose: A wonderful mix of fruits and nuts. When you take a first sniff, you will find a lot of red fruits like berries, plums and red apples. Furthermore, there is a pleasant nuttiness as well as a bits of vanilla. As a kid I sometimes came home and was a disappointed that the smell of freshly baked fruit cake did not come from our house. This whisky brings me back to one of these days, but this time there is no need to be disappointed.
Palate: Of course, this is a very powerful whisky with an ABV of 58.5%. But the alcohol is integrated excellently, especially when you allow the liquid to breath in the glass for a few minutes. Among others, you get dried plums and raisins plus a bit of ginger and pepper combined with nice sherry notes as well as a wee bit of apricot and caramel. Now that I think about it, I am actually very happy that it is not our neighbor’s cake but a bottle of Tamdhu that I call my own.
Finish: A long and slightly spicy finish shaped not only by the high ABV, but also by an abundance of red fruits and sugar.

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Region: Scotland (Speyside)
Aged: NAS
Alc. volume: 58.5%
Bottle size: 0.7 litres
Price range: ~60.00 Euro
More info: http://www.tamdhu.com/ (Distillery)