Cardhu Special Cask Reserve

Nose: Dried stone fruits (apricot, peach, nectarine) and tropical fruit scents. Vanilla and abundant malty cereal. It's almost a bit beery - like a fruity IPA. There's an aspect of the nose that is predictably similar to Johnnie Walker blends. Palate: Sweet cereal upon tasting - you can clearly detect barley - and vanilla. A relaxed development of soft caramel, berries, and honey - it's sweet but not thick, similar to a blended tropical fruit juice or a fruit-flavored toffee. The texture is velvety, rich, and satisfying. There is some very soft spice (cinnamon, nutmeg) and over time you notice a faint wisp of smoke or char on the palate that continues into the aftertaste. Finish: Medium. A flash of dry cacao followed immediately by sweet honey. The aftertaste is very gentle and soft. An easy and welcoming dram that would be an ideal introductory or second whiskey for newcomers, but may be a little bland for more seasoned drinkers. Then again, sometimes a soft and relaxing dram is most welcome and I wouldn't dismiss a pour of this. It also gets noticeably better after resting for a few minutes in the glass. It's certainly not flawed or lacking in character, but I keep getting a nagging feeling that the nose and palate are closer in character to those of a good blend rather than a single malt. It's probably due to the low alcohol content, but I don't think this would perform as well at higher strength. This is another comforting dram that sits well alongside the likes of Strathisla 12 or Royal Lochnagar 12, and it is a small but definite improvement over the regular Cardhu 12 year old. The only reservation I have is concerning the price. Tasted from a 30ml sample - I did not try it with water because it seemed unnecessary. "Above Average": 80/100 (3 stars)

Review for batch number c s/c r 13.15 Stunning color, and the age is evident. The nose has sherry and vanilla notes. The palate offers fruitcake and honey flavors, with some almond. It has an oily, coating texture on the tongue, and a rather long finish. Excellent.

Sampled at the Cardhu Distillery last September. Excellent flavor, a fine whiskey!

Direct and straightforward in flavor but the aftertaste is mellow.

Sampled at Cardhu Distillery on 7/23/2016

- July 3, 2019