Review by: The Muskox
I can’t let Whiskery Turnip hit #1000 reviews before me, so I need to pick up the pace. Here’s this Cardhu! I haven’t had all that much from this famously gentle distillery, and while the 2020 Special Release showed some promise, I ultimately haven’t loved any of what I’ve tried.
Distillery: Cardhu.
Bottler: Official bottling.
Region: Speyside.
ABV: 55.5%. Cask strength.
Age: 14 years. Distilled in 2006. Bottled in 2021.
Cask type: Initially matured in refill American oak casks, then finished in red wine casks
Price: N/A, sample.
Color: 1Straw. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Nose: Sweet, perfumed, and slightly acidic. Strong pressed flowers, tree saps, banana peel, and a hint of wood glue. Greenish fruit notes of white grape, lime zest, unripe pineapple, and pear. Richer flavours of brioche, peanuts, and hardwood logs emerge with some time. Mineral notes of soapstone dust and oil shale (I know how specific that is, but gimme a break, I’m a geologist!).
Palate: Medium-thick texture. Arrives gently and off-sweet with green banana, orange pith, and plums. Dusty in the middle, developing to roasted almonds, beeswax, and icing-sugar-dusted French toast. There’s a hit of black pepper in there, too. The red wine starts to come in as moderate fine tannins towards the finish.
Finish: Medium. Here’s where the wine comes in – lots of red-wine tannins and some redder fruit. Fresh laundry and orange blossoms. Black pepper-spiked honey and green tea. Chalky and slightly musky. Lingering graphite and sweet lime.
Possible SMWS bottling name: “Distracted oenologist’s soil report”
Conclusion: This one really grew on me. There’s nice complexity, great oiliness and mineral character, and it’s much less sweet than the 2020. Very little red wine, I’d never have guesses there were any of those casks involved if it didn’t say so on the label. This seems to be a divisive dram: some people got very little complexity beyond honey and citrus, others found more going on. I started my glass in the first camp, and finished in the second.
Final Score: 85.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 
