Today young Cardhu


May 7, 2024

WF's Little Duos, today young Cardhu

Back from Andalusia where we enjoyed some excellent PX 'seco' from Malaga (I wouldn't swap a good bottle of dry PX for a crate of 'dulce' PX), and where Cardhu appears to still be quite a strong brand, just as in France. Let's therefore try a little couple of young Cardhus...

(Magazine ad with some teaser, 1980)

Cardhu 12 yo (40%, OB, +/-2023)

We've last tried this fairly common and lightish expression in 2017 (WF 75). Earlier 'white label' bottlings from the 1970s and 1980s (8 yo, 12 yo) were something else. Colour: light gold. Nose: it's easy to imagine why it's a long-standing success in Spain and France, this is a nice 'apéritif' nose, rather fresh, with some cut apples and a little agave syrup. Fresh pack of Fruit Loops, then even more fresh apples, also apple compote, pack of orange drops... Mouth: a little hard to understand after the pleasant nose. Light bodied. Some bitterer grasses, mashes, bonbons, oversteeped green tea, macha tea, touches of bitterer zests… I would suppose this baby really needs a few ice cubes. Finish: a little nicer, with some toasted oak, chocolate, mocha, nutmeg… Some parts of this finish remind me of modern young Macallan. Oakier aftertaste, teas and herbal teas… Comments: score almost unchanged. We'll try it again around 2019 – maybe.
SGP:241 – 74 points.

Cardhu 12 yo 'Wine Cask 200th Anniversary' (40%, OB, 2023)

Indeed, Cardhu is 200 this year in 2024, however, it is not immune to the affliction that has been affecting most Scottish malts for the past two or four years: the massive use of table wine (We're not talking about fortified wines like sherry, are we?). Having said that, our friends in Scotland don't stop improving their methods, so we're no longer safe from an excellent surprise. Oh and looks like this is full-maturing, or at least a 3 years-and-1-day finishing (so indeed maturation). Colour: apricot. So, red wine. Nose: loses you quick. You do get crushed berries, peonies, flavoured pipe tobacco (cherry-seasoned), but you also find butterscotch and treacle toffee, which just everyone is finding pretty nice. Including this humble little taster. Nutshell, we're between a moist fruitcake and some no-less moist gingerbread. Mouth: quite some action despite the low strength, with chocolates filled with raspberry and pear liqueur, lots of cherry, or cherry pastries, speculoos, chocolate turrón (as I mentioned we're just coming back from Spain), and a bit of coffee... In short, it's like a cocktail or premix, but it's rather well done. Finish: quite long, with these even more pronounced cherry notes, followed by a bit of thyme honey and peppermint candy. Comments: I must admit I prefer this unlikely concoction to the shy recent standard 12-year-olds. Happy 200th anniversary, Cardhu.
SGP:551 - 79 points.

Quick bonus: we just found this one in one of the boxes…

Cardhu 'Gold Reserve' (40%, OB, +/-2015)

One of the first renditions of this very humble NAS. At 40% ABV and without an age statement, one shouldn't expect any of Beethoven's symphonies, right. Colour: pale gold. Nose: very close to the 12. Having them side by side is making this obvious, this is just a little more modest and immediately grassy and on green tea. I like both noses, but we know that the devil is rather lurking on our palates… Mouth: rather unexpectedly, I like this one a little better than the 12, but it's still a little weak, tea-ish, slightly bitter, with fruit peelings rather than flesh. A little white chocolate, which appeals to the child within us all. Finish: a little short, grassy, but not unpleasant. Bonbons and touches of pepper and gin in the aftertaste. Comments: we hope for a special version at a higher proof soon!
SGP:651 - 77 points.

Well, it seems that the wine-boosted version was the favourite. I may need to see a doctor...

Check the index of all Cardhu we've tasted so far