Cardhu – 14 Year Old Special Release 2021 'The Scarlet Blossoms of Black Rock' (70cl, 55.5%)

This is a 14 year old Cardhu single malt Scotch whisky from the 2021 Special Release, bottled at a cask strength of 55.5%. It takes its name, The Scarlet Blossoms of Black Rock, from a fable of a tree with scarlet blossoms growing on a hill of blackened rock, where a distillery later took root. The whisky was matured in refill American oak casks and finished in red wine casks. The nose has white grape, lychee, meadow flowers and other fruit. The palate is creamy and perfumed, with heather-honey sweetness and red berries. Water smooths it, and the finish carries a warming pinch of white pepper.