Cardhu Cardhu 21 years Special Release 54.2% 1991

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Serge Valentin (84)

I've read this baby is fully ex-bourbon wood.

Colour: full gold.
Nose: first the 12 on steroids (cake, nuts, caramel) and with more grass, then a rather oaky profile that unfolds with a lot of polished wood, sawdust, vanilla and tea. A little menthol as well. I think this one really needs water to become more expressive, but I'd say it's very bourbony at this point, in the style of the new Oban 21. With water: oranges. Bags of oranges. And always a grassiness...

Mouth (neat): rich and creamy, some active American oak at work. Lemon balm, sandalwood, then more chocolate, strong honey and corn syrup? Caramelized peanuts. A wee prickliness - or is that a fizziness? With water: and once again, more oranges, tangerines, marmalade... But the whole remains rather light despite a thickish mouth feel.

Finish: relatively short, on oranges and malt, with an oaky signature. Black tea, a funny hint of tarragon in the aftertaste, probably from the oak. Comments: feels a little engineered, but it's certainly all good, even if we're nowhere near the old 1982 in y opinion.

Words of Whisky (85)