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
