Cardhu's 18 Year Old sits at the top of the distillery's core range, above the 12 and 15 year olds and the NAS Gold Reserve. Like its siblings it is bottled at 40%, a strength that suits the light, fruit-driven house style but frustrates drinkers who would prefer a little more heft.
The distillery itself has a strong claim to historical importance. Elizabeth Cumming's rebuild in 1884 made Cardhu one of the first Speyside distilleries designed with efficient commercial output in mind, and by the end of that decade she was selling spirit directly to John Walker & Sons. The Johnnie Walker connection has never loosened.
At 18, the whisky pulls its expected weight. The nose gives ripe apple, honey and vanilla over a dusting of almond. The palate is honeyed and biscuity, with orchard fruit and light oak spice. The finish is medium-length and soft — vanilla and pear lingering politely. It is not dramatic, but it is well-made and age-worn in the right way. A quiet, refined Speysider.
