Cardhu 14YO Special Release 2021

Cardhu Distillery – previously called Cardow – must be one of the best located distilleries in Speyside. High on the hills on the north side of the Spey Valley. The malt itself is pretty typical of a Speyside. It is highly approachable – smooth, sweet, mellow and uncomplicated. It has good body and length. The malt whisky produced at Cardhu has a cleanliness of taste – often described as silky.

A masterpiece in harmony. This Cardhu 14 Year Old is a truly superb Speysider. This underwent most of its maturation in refill American oak casks, and then underwent a finishing period in red wine casks. With this finishing period, and the fact of it being 55.5% abv in strength, you would be forgiven for thinking this would be a heavy, full-on dram. Instead, it is miraculously light-bodied, with strong floral hints and a fruity, sweet taste. In cases like these, sometimes it’s better to let the dram speak for itself.

The nose is fresh, fruity, and surging with notes of orchard fruits, meadow flowers, and buttery pastry. The palate is soft and smooth, with a sweet toffee taste complementing crisp, clean oak. The finish is short, sweet, with a little kick of spice and perfume.