Tastes

This is pretty good but truthfully doesn’t live up to last year’s expression. Cardhu seems to be a scotch with a relatively light profile, so the rum sweetness ends up drowning out some of the more delicate flavors. As a result, this is a nice, sweet scotch that has some little fruit and floral notes here and there but isn’t something I’d search out.

If you made scotch in the Caribbean, this is what you’d get. It’s got the sweet notes and the fruit all together with a very nice grainy note as well

This is very good, but it just doesn’t have that special quality that sets the other releases in this set apart. It’s got a nice, grainy sweetness, but it’s really not very complex. Still, would definitely drink again

This is absolutely glorious. The nose is soft and is immediately reminiscent of a ripe mango and rum, and the palate continues this with the addition of orange honey and honeysuckle. The finish is medium and the sweetness lingers as white grape and other tropical fruit notes carry you off into the sunset.

Flames of the Phoenix is an apt description! The nose is hints of shepherds pie and the palate has a huge hit of cinnamon spice. The finish of classic Lagavulin with the smoke of a fire that has burned down to the embers

Smoke is strong but nice. Rich mouthfeel and would pair beautifully with a steak

That’s really lovely. The peat is present but by no means overwhelming, and you also get a rich, buttery shortbread slathered in baked, spiced apples. 100% would buy again

Nose is like a good bottle of Buffalo Trace (cherry/grape) with some coffee notes in addition. That continues on the palate, but the cherry becomes more prominent. Finish is mid but gives a nice hug after a couple sips. Basically, this is a really nice bottle and I’ll absolutely replace it when it runs out.

Notes of yogurt-covered raisins along with the typical scotch maltiness

Shockingly coffee-y while maintaining the typical Macallan profile. Interesting but not my favorite