The Cardow Distillery is called the spiritual home of Johnnie Walker. That says a lot, I suppose. She can be found in the heart of Speyside and sold only to passersby in the early days. That is quite different today, of course. Since 1981 she is called Cardhu (meaning ‘black rock’) and about three quarters of her production is meant for the Johnnie Walker range. The remaining spirit is sold as single malt. I will be trying an old bottling from the ’60 of last century. While Cardhu is a Speysider, the label proudly announced ‘Cardhu highland malt whisky’.
The nose is honeysweet and takes me directly to a candy shop with candied fruit, smurfs, cola bottles, citric candy, cherries and pineapple cubes. The sweetness is thus a little bit artificial, but it is not disturbing. Loads of grasses as well, both wet and freshly cut.
It is very softly spiced when it arrives on the palate. Immediately the candy returns, so very sweet, a little over the top now. But unfortunately it offers nothing else.
Thefinish is short and sweet, both realistically and figuratively.
This is actually a very simply dram, but still nice to have tasted. This bottling is very hard to come by these days. I last saw it in Italy for a little over 200 EUR. Oh, well.
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