Cardhu 11 Special Release 2020 700mL

Cardhu 11 Year Old was part of Diageo's 2020 Special Releases, the annual limited set of cask-strength single malts. Bottled at 56% ABV without chill filtration, it gives a fuller, more vivid look at Cardhu's usually gentle house style.

About This Whisky

The 2020 Special Releases ran under the "Rare by Nature" theme, with labels built around the wildlife and landscapes near each distillery. Cardhu 11 Year Old was distilled in 2008 and matured in a combination of refill and first-fill ex-bourbon casks plus virgin American oak. The fresh oak adds vanilla and a spicy edge to the fruity spirit. It was bottled at natural cask strength of 56%.

Tasting Profile

• Nose: Pear drops, green apple, honey and fresh-cut flowers, with a faint hoppy note
• Palate: Creamy vanilla, orchard fruit and toffee, turning spicy and warming at full strength
• Finish: Medium-long, with sweet malt, oak spice and a light floral note

Serving & Food

Neat in a tulip glass, with a splash of water to open the pear and flowers. It also makes a lively highball with soda over ice. Try with pork belly bao, apple tart or a mild goat's cheese.

How to Enjoy

Speyside fans who want Cardhu with more weight than the 12 Year Old, and Special Releases collectors.

Product Details

About the Distillery

Cardhu stands on a hillside above the River Spey near Knockando. John Cumming took out a licence in 1824 on a farm where he and his wife Helen had been distilling for years, and the business was later run by women of the family, first Helen and then their daughter-in-law Elizabeth. In 1893 the Cummings sold the distillery to John Walker & Sons of Kilmarnock.

Cardhu has been central to Johnnie Walker blends ever since and is now owned by Diageo. As a single malt it is known for a light, sweet, pear-and-honey style, and the 12 Year Old is among the top-selling single malts in Spain.