Cardhu 18 Years is different from the 12 Year Old in the fact that it was partly matured in sherry casks. Its price is relatively low compared to the limited edition Cardhu 21 Year Old released last year.
Update: I revisited the 2023 edition of Cardhu 18 Year Old
Cardhu 18 yo (40%, OB 2014)
Nose: in line with other Cardhu expressions. Pretty neutral that is. Vanilla fudge, sweet malt, apples and oranges. Hay. This time also nice roasted pineapple (the highlight of this dram) and dried flowers.
Mouth: sweet and spicy, but in a slightly disjointed way. Fairly underpowered as well. Plenty of honey. Toffee and caramel. Vanilla biscuits. Chocolate, mocha and soft earthy notes. Hints of dusty oak too.
Finish: rather short, bittersweet with a firm spiciness from the oak.
Not exactly a highflyer, there’s much better whisky to be found for this amount. In fact I’d rather have a good NAS whisky than a bland 18 year-old. Available from The Whisky Exchange.
Score: 78/100