Review #819 - SMWS 8.48 'Flamenco Dancer's Union Break' - Tamdhu 9 Year
In April of 2026, we had the opportunity to attend the monthly outturn tasting for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's USA chapter in Indianapolis, Indiana. These sessions generally consist of the blind tasting of 6 different whiskies which will be released in the given month, and the bottles are revealed after discussion of tasting notes and distillery guesses have been made. This April 2026 tasting had a sherry cask theme - all of the whiskies involved were either matured or finished in Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez sherry. This is 1 of 6 reviews from this month's outturn.
Tamdhu is another distillery that is synonymous with sherry cask aging; in that vein, this single cask from SMWS was fully matured in a first fill PX sherry butt, which yielded a hefty 636 bottles. Despite the relatively young age, this boasts a rich, dark color, and accordingly, the Society added the cask to its 'Deep Rich & Dried Fruits' flavor category.
SMWS 8.48 'Flamenco Dancer's Union Break' - Tamdhu 9 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price: USD 110 (2026)
Age Statement: 9 Years
Strength: 59.2% ABV
Cask Makeup: First fill Pedro Ximenez sherry butt
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled November 16 2015; 636 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed blind 1 time. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Dark and rich, quite dense and deep with dark fruit like raisin as well as a soft funk. The sherry cask is adding a touch of sulphur, and we get sweetness from chocolate too.
Palate: Mineral and a bit industrial, some wood smoke, and the complexion is quite dark. Stewed fruits, some tart orange rind, and that sulphur returns from the nose; it's intense and brooding.
Finish: Long and spicy, with a little bit of dank funk in the background. Tangy oranges and dark purple fruits combine with wood spice and a bit of cinnamon.
Final Note: This is a very rich sherried whisky, one that noses and tastes beyond its years. There's an interesting sulphur or wood smoke element at times which adds an interesting dimension to the experience, and the whole flavor profile is quite intense and dark. Very, very good whisky, one that we would savor if we could get a bottle.
This was the bargain of this SMWS outturn, and it's actually the highest value rating that we've given to any SMWS bottle that we've tasted yet. Great whisky, very fair price - if you have a chance to get this bottle, jump on it.
Our Rating: 8.5 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 7.10
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Tamdhu reviews:
