And extremely fruity Speyside.
Burnished copper.
Not forward, yet attractively ‘natural’ and in time rich, balanced and very complex.
Rich and smooth-textured.
Smooth and sweet taste, unctuous, yet with light and lively acidity.
Exciting and complex, the conclusion is long, smooth, gently drying and rich in cocoa.
Distillery: CardhuTM
Age: 18 years old
Strength: 40% ABV
Place of Origin: Cardow
Region: Speyside
in brief… A quietly assured extra-mature whisky that opens slowly with real finesse to reveal an exquisite structure: rich in body, yet still full of delicate Cardhu character.
in a sentence… The freshness of the nose, with its cleansing fruit, is a foil to the rich treat in store as the palate delivers all the comforting, melting richness of a fruity liqueur chocolate truffle and a complex, rich, sweet, spicy finish to match.
Not forward, yet attractively ‘natural’ and in time rich, balanced and very complex. Macerated fruits; pears, plums, cherries. Hints of pineapple develop a light, green, gooseberry-like edge. Delicate scents of wild rose, menthol and polished leather rise above a soft base of Christmas cake or buttery pastry. Water opens it all up elegantly, without altering the main themes.
A smooth and sweet taste, unctuous, yet with light and lively acidity. The soft, delicate, fruity core is cradled by rich, chocolate-edged flavours, the texture, chocolate and fruit combining to evoke a cherry liqueur chocolate truffle. Warming overall, it’s softer with water, when the balance of tastes remains the same, though lighter.
2014
"Cardhu—for me, at least—means intensity, and this delivers precisely that, with masses of citrus (bergamot and grapefruit) and just a hint of dark chocolate behind. With water, there’s red apple and Victoria plum, while the mouth is precise, with any richness cut with fresh acidity. Zesty and fresh on the finish."
Dave Broom, 2013, Whisky Advocate Fall 2013, p.118