Review: The Cardrona New Zealand Single Malt – Just Hatched and Growing Wings
The Cardrona may sound like a boutique hotel, but it’s actually a New Zealand single malt whisky brand, now celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The operation recently brought three whiskies from its growing collection to the U.S., all showcasing Cardrona at various stages of its aging process — specifically 3, 5, and 7 years old. The operation ages its whiskies, all single malts made from locally grown grain, in a variety of cask types, including ex-sherry, ex-pinot noir, and/or ex-bourbon casks, all aged in New Zealand’s Cardrona Valley, on the South Island.
We received two of the whiskies — the 3 and 5 year old bottlings — for review. Details on what’s in each follow. Note that all are packaged in 375ml decanters exclusively.
The Cardrona New Zealand Single Malt Just Hatched Review
The Cardrona Single Malt Whisky “Just Hatched” is a cask strength bottling aged three years. The youngest expression in the range, it’s a solera-style marriage of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks intended to showcase the whisky’s promise and future.
The nose intrigues with notes of gingerbread and butterscotch, the former surprisingly sharp at times. The aromatics are increasingly exotic as they develop in glass, offering a sharp potpourri note and an intense baking spice character, complementing the gingerbread with a more piercing, peppery quality.
The palate is much sweeter than I’d imagined, laden with honey and lemon, creating a sort of lemon tea character from the start. That tea leaf note takes hold as the palate evolves, touched a bit with notes of anise and some duskier spices — more dried, powdered ginger plus a pinch of clove and mace. Increasingly bracing as it develops, the whisky finishes on a reprise of lemon — expressed oil and peel, mostly — with undercurrents of tobacco and polished wood.
All told it is surprisingly well-developed for a 3 year old whisky — and while the price is hard to stomach at $258 for a full bottle equivalent — it has plenty of charm to recommend it.
128.8 proof.
A- / $120 (375ml)
The Cardrona New Zealand Single Malt Growing Wings Review
“Growing Wings” is aged five years and is also a solera bottling of bourbon and sherry cask aged whiskies. Also cask strength, just a touch less boozy.
The family DNA doesn’t wander far here, though the nose packs in more citrus than I expected, a sign of the impact of the sherry cask aging. (You can see it in the bright amber color, too.) That racy ginger — more fresh than dried this time out — is present, along with a bolder black pepper element.
The palate feels hotter than the Just Hatched expression, if only by a small amount, and I preferred it with a splash of water rather than at full bottle strength. The citrus notes again dominate here, both peel-heavy orange and that bright lemon found in the three year old. The midpalate takes a slightly musky turn as well-toasted granary notes come to the fore. Lots of vanilla lingers on the finish, along with tannic walnut shells and a light touch of menthol.
It’s a well-crafted whisky that’s coming into its own — but I found the younger expression more exuberant.
127.8 proof.
B+ / $120 (375ml)
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