5
Expressions
5
With Tasting Notes
100%
Completeness
About
A historic Speyside distillery with a remarkable story of female entrepreneurship. Founded as a licensed operation in 1824 by John Cumming, it was his wife Helen Cumming (and later daughter-in-law Elizabeth Cumming) who drove the distillery's success. Elizabeth rebuilt the entire distillery in 1884 and sold it to John Walker & Sons, making Cardhu the spiritual home of Johnnie Walker -- the best-selling Scotch whisky in the world. The single malt expression is light, sweet, and honeyed with a gentle smokiness -- a quintessentially approachable Speyside. The distillery was at the center of a controversy in 2003 when Diageo briefly replaced the single malt with a 'pure malt' vatting, sparking industry outrage and a policy reversal. Located on the scenic Speyside whisky trail near Knockando.
Production Details
Owner
Diageo plc
Parent Company
Diageo plc
Status
Active
Founded
1824
Still Type
Pot
Stills
6
Capacity
3.4M LPA
Water Source
Mannoch Hill springs
Core Range5
Cardhu 12 Year OldCore
12 Years40% ABV$40-55
Ex-bourbon casks
4/4 Tasting
View tasting notes
Sight
Bright gold
Smell
Pear, sweet malt, honey, vanilla, biscuit, faint heather
Sip
Light and smooth with pear drops, honey, digestive biscuit, gentle spice, green apple, vanilla cream
Savor
Clean and medium with lingering pear, malty sweetness, and a whisper of oak
View flavor map
{"Greengrocer_Orchard":["pear","pear drops","green apple"],"Sweet_Shop_Sugar":["honey","vanilla","vanilla cream","malty sweetness"],"Bakery_Sweet":["biscuit","digestive biscuit"],"Natural_Foods_Spices":["gentle spice"],"Furniture_Maker_Wood":["whisper of oak"],"Garden_Path":["faint heather"]}
Cardhu 15 Year OldCore
15 Years40% ABV$55-75
Ex-bourbon casks
4/4 Tasting
View tasting notes
Sight
Rich gold with amber tints
Smell
Baked pear, vanilla custard, toasted almonds, heather honey, nutmeg, light floral
Sip
Silky and rounded with baked apple, vanilla fudge, honey, toasted cereal, white pepper, dried apricot
Savor
Long and elegant with lingering honey, toasted oak, dried fruit, and gentle spice
View flavor map
{"Greengrocer_Orchard":["baked pear","baked apple","dried apricot"],"Sweet_Shop_Sugar":["vanilla custard","vanilla fudge","honey","heather honey"],"Bakery_Sweet":["toasted almonds","toasted cereal"],"Natural_Foods_Spices":["nutmeg","white pepper","gentle spice"],"Furniture_Maker_Wood":["toasted oak"],"Garden_Path":["light floral"]}
Cardhu 18 Year OldCore
18 Years40% ABV$80-110
Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks
4/4 Tasting
View tasting notes
Sight
Deep gold with amber highlights
Smell
Rich dried fruit, orange marmalade, dark honey, cinnamon, polished oak, leather, dark chocolate
Sip
Full and rounded with Christmas cake, dark chocolate, orange zest, walnut, clove, brown sugar, dried fig
Savor
Long and warming with lingering dark chocolate, dried fruit, oak spice, and leather
View flavor map
{"Greengrocer_Orchard":["rich dried fruit","Christmas cake","dried fig"],"Greengrocer_Citrus":["orange marmalade","orange zest"],"Sweet_Shop_Sugar":["dark honey","brown sugar"],"Sweet_Shop_Chocolate":["dark chocolate"],"Furniture_Maker_Wood":["polished oak","oak spice"],"Furniture_Maker_Leather":["leather"],"Bakery_Sweet":["Christmas cake","walnut"],"Natural_Foods_Spices":["cinnamon","clove"]}
Cardhu Gold ReserveCore
NAS40% ABV$35-50
Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks
4/4 Tasting
View tasting notes
Sight
Golden amber
Smell
Red apple, caramel, milk chocolate, sweet malt, floral notes, touch of cinnamon
Sip
Smooth and sweet with toffee apple, milk chocolate, gentle spice, orange peel, malty richness
Savor
Medium with lingering toffee, gentle oak, and fruit sweetness
View flavor map
{"Greengrocer_Orchard":["red apple","toffee apple"],"Sweet_Shop_Sugar":["caramel","toffee"],"Sweet_Shop_Chocolate":["milk chocolate"],"Greengrocer_Citrus":["orange peel"],"Natural_Foods_Spices":["gentle spice","cinnamon"],"Garden_Path":["floral notes"],"Furniture_Maker_Wood":["gentle oak"]}
Cardhu Special Cask ReserveCore
NAS40% ABV$35-50
Ex-bourbon, ex-wine, and rejuvenated casks
4/4 Tasting
View tasting notes
Sight
Light gold
Smell
Green apple, pear, vanilla, fresh malt, floral, hint of cinnamon
Sip
Light and fruity with apple, pear, honey, biscuit, gentle spice, vanilla cream
Savor
Short to medium with lingering fruit sweetness and clean malty finish
View flavor map
{"Greengrocer_Orchard":["green apple","pear","apple"],"Sweet_Shop_Sugar":["vanilla","honey","vanilla cream"],"Bakery_Sweet":["fresh malt","biscuit"],"Natural_Foods_Spices":["cinnamon","gentle spice"],"Garden_Path":["floral"]}