Cardhu 12 years old Tall Bottle Old Version Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 75 cl 43%

The tall bottle, the yellow label and the word Highland instead of Speyside. This is what Cardhu looked like before the marketing department worked out where Knockando sits on the map.

Please note: Wear and scuffs on the label.

Expert description

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

The release dates from before the current bottle shape, when Cardhu was sold as a Highland Malt. Speyside sits geographically within the Highlands, and until regional names took hold on labels that was the wording used. The 75 cl size and 43% strength also belong to the past, both later changed to 70 cl and 40%. For collectors it is exactly that kind of detail that makes a bottle interesting.

Tasting notes

Nose

Fuller than today's Cardhu. Honey and baked apple, old library wood and a dry, nutty cereal note that comes with years in glass.

Palate

Rounder and more oily than the modern release. Malt, honey, dried apricot and a hint of dark cocoa, with a warmth the extra three percentage points clearly contribute.

Finish

Medium long and dry, with malt, hazelnut and a last breath of spice.

Specifications

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

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Nutty · Soft · Unpeated

Investment potential

High. The release is discontinued, the bottle shape is no longer produced, and the 75 cl format at 43% only exists in older stock. The supply of well-kept examples keeps falling.

Did you know?

Cardhu was called Cardow until 1981. The name changed because the pronunciation tripped people up outside Scotland — but the water still comes from the same springs on Mannoch Hill.

See our full range of Cardhu Whisky

Frequently asked questions about Cardhu 12 years Tall Bottle Old Version

Why does the label say Highland and not Speyside?

Because Speyside sits geographically within the Highlands, and because regional names only took hold on labels later. Older Cardhu bottles were therefore sold as Highland Malt Scotch Whisky. It is one of the best markers of an old release.

Does an old release taste different?

Often yes. This one is bottled at 43% against today's 40%, and production back then gave a fuller spirit. The result is a rounder, oilier whisky with more obvious malt character than the current 12 year old.

Does label wear affect the contents?

Not at all. The whisky itself is unaffected by paper picking up scuffs over the years. For a collector it can matter to value, but in the glass it cannot be tasted.

How should an old bottle be stored?

Upright, dark and cool, never lying down — the cork does not tolerate constant contact with spirit. Keep it out of direct sunlight, which bleaches the label and changes the flavour over time.

Is it worth collecting?

The format is discontinued, the bottle shape is out of production, and Cardhu is a distillery with both history and a name as a Johnnie Walker malt. It is the combination of those three that makes it interesting.

What is Highland whisky known for?

It is Scotland's largest region and the style runs from light and floral to heavy and maritime. Cardhu sits at the soft, honeyed end — see the rest of the spread in our range of Highland Whisky.