Collection
Cadenhead
Cadenhead whisky comes from Scotland's oldest independent bottler, founded in 1842. The company belongs to J&A Mitchell, the family behind Springbank, and bottles all of its whisky in Campbeltown. This collection offers five single casks from Speyside, the Highlands and Campbeltown, from Glen Moray to a 23 year old Longrow.
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Cadenhead selects casks on flavour, not on name or age, and bottles them when the team feels they are at their best. That is why you will also find lesser-known distilleries here, such as Craigellachie and Fettercairn. Every bottle in this collection is bottled undiluted and unfiltered.
We explain how to read such a bottle in our article on the Cadenhead label. For more history, read From Aberdeen to Campbeltown.
Why are Cadenhead bottles neither coloured nor chill-filtered?
Because Cadenhead wants to show the whisky as purely as possible. The casks in this collection are bottled without added colouring, without chill filtration and at cask strength. This preserves the natural oils and full mouthfeel, and you see the true colour the cask has given. When cold or served with ice, such a whisky can turn slightly hazy; that is perfectly normal and says nothing about quality.
What does Cadenhead have to do with Springbank?
They share the same owner: J&A Mitchell & Co, which also owns Springbank and Glengyle. Cadenhead was founded in 1842 and has belonged to the Mitchell family for decades; today everything is bottled locally in Campbeltown. That is why Cadenhead regularly offers whisky from the Springbank stable, such as the Longrow 23 YO 2002 in this collection. Cadenhead also bottles casks from many other Scottish distilleries.
What is Longrow and why is a 23 year old so special?
Longrow is the heavily peated whisky distilled at the Springbank distillery in Campbeltown. Old Longrow is rare, and this 23 year old single cask from 2002 comes from a single bourbon cask, bottled undiluted. After so many years the smoke has become more restrained and woven together with fruit, leather and coastal notes. A bottle for a special occasion, or for anyone curious to taste how peat develops over time.
Why does Cadenhead also bottle lesser-known distilleries?
Because Cadenhead selects on flavour and deliberately seeks out lesser-known distilleries. Here you will find Craigellachie, known for a robust, meaty style thanks to old-fashioned worm tubs, and Fettercairn, with tropical fruit from stills whose necks are cooled with cold water. Such whiskies rarely appear as official single malts, so a Cadenhead bottle is a great chance to get to know them.
Which Cadenhead whisky suits which taste?
Choose by style. For soft and floral, take the Glen Moray 16 YO; for rich and sweet, the GlenAllachie 17 YO from a sherry cask or the Fettercairn 19 YO; for spicy and robust, the Craigellachie 18 YO; and for smoke, the Longrow 23 YO. Every bottle has a place in the M4W Flavour Compass, so you can easily compare it with your favourite whisky. If you are new to Cadenhead, the Glen Moray is the most approachable.