Cardhu 12 years old Tall Bottle Old Version Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 43%

A bottle in the tall shape, still in its carton, holding 75 centilitres and three extra percentage points. Cardhu as it was sold when off-licences still called themselves wine merchants.

Expert description

Cardhu 12 years Tall Bottle Old Version is a Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 43% in a 75 cl bottle.

It comes with its original carton, which is rarer than the bottle itself — boxes were thrown away, bottles were kept. The release predates the move to 70 cl and 40%, and the higher strength shows clearly in the body. By then Cardhu had already spent nearly a century inside John Walker & Sons, and the soft, honeyed house style had long been the backbone of Scotland's best selling blend.

Tasting notes

Nose

Soft and mature. Honey, poached pear and vanilla, with a dry malt note and a hint of dried camomile behind.

Palate

Full and lightly syrupy. Malt, pale caramel, apple compote and a little cinnamon, carried by a warmth that stays longer than in the current release.

Finish

Medium, dry and malty, with a faintly bitter oak note at the end.

Specifications

Name: Cardhu 12 years Tall Bottle Old Version Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 75 cl 43%
Distillery: Cardhu
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 43 %
Size: 75 CL
Cask type: Oak casks
Edition: Tall Bottle Old Version with carton

Flavour profile

Soft · Honeyed · Malty · Fruity · Unpeated

Investment potential

High. Discontinued format, discontinued bottle shape and the original carton intact. That combination is hard to find, and complete examples leave the market quickly.

Did you know?

Cardhu is one of the few Scottish distilleries where a marriage decided the history. Helen Cumming sold whisky through the kitchen window while her husband worked the farm — and it was her daughter-in-law Elizabeth who later turned the place into a proper distillery.

See our full range of Cardhu Whisky

Frequently asked questions about Cardhu 12 years Tall Bottle Old Version with carton

Why does the carton matter?

To a collector it matters a good deal. Cartons were usually thrown away, so an old bottle with its original packaging is rarer than the bottle on its own. For the flavour it makes no difference.

Why is it 75 cl and not 70?

Because 75 cl was the European standard before harmonisation at the end of the 1980s. If you see 75 cl on a Scotch bottle, you are certainly looking at an older release.

Does it taste different from the current Cardhu 12 years?

Yes, noticeably. It is bottled at 43% against today's 40%, and the extra strength gives more body and a longer finish. The underlying character is the same soft, honeyed Speyside style.

Is it safe to drink an old whisky?

Yes. Whisky does not develop in the bottle the way wine does, as long as the cork is sound and the bottle has been kept dark and upright. If the level has dropped a lot the flavour may have flattened, but it does not spoil.

Is it a good starting point for collecting?

It shows what to look for: a discontinued format, original packaging and a distillery with a story worth telling. See more older releases in our range of Speyside Whisky.

How does Speyside malt differ from Islay?

Speyside builds on fruit, malt and sweetness, while Islay builds on peat smoke, salt and seaweed. Cardhu sits at the mild extreme — see the other end in our Islay Whisky.