Bought: Tesco, 3rd March 2015
Ratings:
78.38/100 – Whiskybase (average from 28 member votes)
This NAS (non age statement) Cardhu was released in 2014. Initial reviews on Whiskybase weren’t very good (low 70s out of 100) but after 28 votes it’s above 78/100. Unfortunately that suggests the ‘Gold Reserve’ is a fairly average whisky. Looking on Amazon, there are 11 reviews for the Gold Reserve, 9 of which give 5/5 stars, and 2 give 4/5. One of the reviewers that gave 4 stars only docked a star because the bottle is cheaper in supermarkets even when Amazon have reduced it in a ‘lightening deal’. That’s hardly the fault of the whisky!
Comments on Amazon include “delicate and mellow”, “gorgeous”, “subtle flavours and a warm finish” and “much too nice to share”. Overall, it seems this new Cardhu is well liked, at least by Amazon customers.
For an insight into the taste of the Gold Reserve, here is a video by Horst Luening:
Whisky Den 