Cardhu Distillery Only 2016 (48%, OB, 1,800 Bottles 2016)

Whisky Review

• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Cardhu Distillery
• Bottling: Diageo
• ABV: 48%
• Cost: £80

What they say

Available only from Cardhu Distillery, This no-age declaration special bottling is from a limited batch of 1800 bottles and is bottled at 48% ABV

What I say

A quick stop at Cardhu in Speyside to admire the Highland Coo’s and see what was on offer at the distillery shop revealed this slightly higher ABV distillery only bottling. A wee sample dram was provided us to help us on our way, with thanks to the kind staff at Cardhu.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Light champagne gold (3/20), rounded medium-sized tears leave fine legs
• Nose: Heather honey sweetness on the nose followed by fresh orchard fruits, honey poached apples and pears, slightly estery, golden syrup and perfumed like quince, typical light biscuit malt & milled malted barley flour, lemon puff biscuits, fresh flower meadow, light and mid sweet – typically Cardhu
• Taste: Caramel apple and mint, the extra few % ABV certainly carry more weight and flavour than the standard Cardhu offerings, toffee apples, heather honey, a little cupric/coppery metallic and feinty, malted cereal barley, grainy/husks – almost wheat like, the minutest drop of eucalyptus or clove oil – with time a wave of milky vanilla and oak wood arises
• Finish: Medium, again coppery new make lead into toffee, fruit and a slightly herbal bitterness

Overall

Interesting, quite a heavy spirit character which actually does Cardhu proud, I suspect this is young and probably matured in refill ex-bourbon casks which haven’t overpowered this typically light and fruity spirit? I found myself enjoying this a lt more than the more standard offerings from Cardhu.

Score 85/100

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