Diageo adds Amber Rock to Cardhu whisky range

Cardhu single malt Scotch whisky is adding a new, highly crafted variant to its range of Speyside whiskies, Diageo has announced.

Cardhu Amber Rock has been double matured in toasted American Oak casks, to deliver richer notes of vanilla and spice. Elegant and deeply flavoured, it still retains the balance and the clean sweet notes that are a typical of all Cardhu whiskies created by the distillery’s founders, Helen and Elizabeth Cumming.

Master blender Dr Matthew Crow says: “The Bourbon nuances that develop from the second maturation in toasted casks seasoned with Bourbon whiskey add an even greater silkiness and roundness to Cardhu, bringing vanilla and spice notes along with hints of oak. We are very pleased with how this has turned out.”

Cardhu Amber Rock is destined mainly for distribution through whisky specialist stores, and will be available in France and the Belgium from this spring, then more widely in Western Europe (UK, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Greece & Netherlands) from late summer onwards. The launch will be supported by in-store publicity, advertising and promotion through digital channels.

“Western Europe remains a major market for our single malts, including Cardhu,” comments Nik Keane, Diageo’s global brand director for malt whiskies. “We are excited and confident that this very original new variant will appeal both to existing Cardhu drinkers and to whisky drinkers new to the category or the brand.”

The name ‘Cardhu’ means ‘black rock’ in the Gaelic language; the new Amber Rock variant reflects the golden jewel-like colour of the new expression.

The RRP for Cardhu Amber Rock in the UK market will be £41.

3 March 2014 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor