Cardhu 18 Years Old

An official release of Cardhu, an 18 year old, at 40%. Cardhu, owned by Diageo, is the malt that gave Johnnie Walker its heart. Most of its make goes into Johnnie Walker, with a little bottled as single malt.

The spirit was distilled in pear shaped stills for a soft, sweet spirit, to build a gentle, fruity character. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the spirit. At oxidative maturity vanillin and lactones are fully expressed, the fruit deepening to honey. A gentle maturation suits the soft make, the fruit growing richer with time. The light spirit was built for the blender's art, easy and approachable. It was rebuilt and expanded by Elizabeth Cumming, the Queen of the Whisky Trade, who sold it to John Walker and Sons in 1893. A 2003 plan to sell a vatted malt under the Cardhu name caused an industry outcry, and was reversed. Active wood frames the fruit without overwhelming the soft, sweet spirit.

Reduced to 40%, it is mellow. A gentle, fruity sweetness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Beneath it run apple, pear and a soft honey. A smooth, honeyed finish ends on pear and vanilla. This is a light, honeyed Speyside single malt.