Càrn Mòr 9yo vs Cadenhead’s 21yo | 47.5 & 55.7% ABV

Aimons Jeune, Buvons Vieux.

This phrase is an adage you hear from time to time when hanging out with wine people. It is attributed to a certain Jean-François Alcalay, a man I weirdly did not find any information on. It roughly translates to : “Let’s love young, and drink old”.

As any proper Frenchman, JF was here referring to fermented grape juice of course, with the idea that older wine is better. I don’t want to take this quote too seriously, especially the first part, but there remains a myth in whisky that older is better.

As I mentioned in previous reviews, reality is more nuanced and there are some whiskies, especially coming from newer distilleries, which offer a great deal of flavour and complexity at a rather young age.

I myself do not really have that much experience anyway with older whiskies, as I fell down this rabbit hole only fairly recently, or at least I’ve not been enjoying whisky for long enough to be able to afford 18+ year old single malts on a regular basis.

I’m willing to bet that even most of the more seasoned whisky botherers among you don’t tend to buy these whiskies except for special occasions, which is inevitable when the average price for a 21yo in 2024 is around £200.

The fact that prices went up so astronomically in recent years, and especially so for older stock, is in my opinion another thing that makes us expect more of these whiskies. If I am to part with, let’s say 150 of my hard earned € for a single bottle of whisky, let me tell you it better be at the very least a 7/10, even an 8.

It can be detrimental to some whiskies to be priced at such ludicrous levels, because they can’t taste good enough to justify the price. The whisky just has to work harder to convince us. But sometimes, even the most seasoned amongst us will be influenced by preconceived ideas on a whisky.

If I serve you a 35yo Brora - don’t bother coming to my house, I don’t have any - you might be inclined to spend more time and attention on it than on a run of the mill Mannochmore for example. Sure, that’s an extreme example, but a reminder that blind tasting is the way, if we want to properly judge whiskies.

A newbie coming into whisky now may be lured into feeling that the best whiskies are the oldest, because why else would they be priced so much higher than the 8-10-12yo core offerings. Surely, it’s because they’re better, right ? Well, they might be better in some cases - ideally all the time, but we don’t live in an ideal world - but it’s more to do with the fact that there’s a lot of demand and not much stock left. And greed; a big dollop of filthy greed.

Some among the old guard of whisky drinkers, who have been able to taste the Broras and Glen Grants and Port Ellen of yore also say that whisky was better because it wasn’t made the same way as it is today. Production techniques and types of casks have of course changed quite drastically since the 1950s.

Back then for example, a lot of the barley was still floor malted and peated at the distillery, said barley was of older, less yield-oriented varieties, and stills were mostly direct-fired. By comparison, the vast majority of the barley grown now for Scotch whisky production is split across three or four varieties (think Concerto, Laureate…), is malted in drums by specialised companies from which nearly every distillery gets their supply from, and distilled in computer-controlled, vapour coil heated stills. Not as sexy, heh?

But we’re talking about whiskies made in the 1980’s, 70’s or even 60’s here. What about whiskies made in the 90’s and early 2000’s, the ones reaching ages between 20 and 30yo in 2024 ? These were made in a mostly similar way to modern whiskies, so it might be interesting to compare young and old bottlings of a particular distillery. This is the idea that prompted this double review, to try and see if the Glen Ord spirit has changed much in the past few decades.

Let’s uncover if older is indeed better or not.

Review 1/2

Glen Ord 2012, Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited Series, 9 years old, Ruby Port Finish, 47.5% ABV
£85 - mostly sold out

I got taken advantage of. I bought this bottle during my second trip to Edinburgh, back when I wasn’t as well informed about whisky as I am now.

Going down the Royal Mile with my dad and sister, we stopped in a whisky shop, not far from the castle, that shall remain unnamed. The tenant was actually quite nice and helpful, and a true whisky connoisseur, but it’s one of those shops that are tailored to tourists, with a corresponding pricing policy. And I fell into the trap.

That was easy though, as I was recommended this whisky by the lad working the counter there, and he actually poured me a little bit into a plastic mini-cup in order for me to try it. Being on holiday, not aware of prices in the UK and very impressed by this liquid from a distillery completely unknown to me at the time, I pulled the trigger. 

I obviously do not recommend this shop, but instead of naming it, I will just tell you, as I did in previous reviews, which shops are trustworthy in the Scottish capital : Royal Mile Whiskies and Cadenhead’s.

You’ll find something to suit your taste and at usually good prices in either of these shops. I’m sure there are other quality retailers in Edinburgh, but having not tried them, I can’t recommend any. Ask locals for recommendations.  

Quick sidenote, this is reduced to 47.5%, as are almost all Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited bottlings.

Nose

Acacia honey, poached pears, strawberry liqueur. The sweetness is balanced by a vegetal side reminding me of hay, giving it an almost agricultural aspect. Fleeting aroma of fennel seeds. Wet tarmac and clay. Outdoorsy, summery whisky. With time, I get raspberry juice, slightly unripe white grapes and a hint of bicycle inner tube.

With water: A tad sweeter, with creamy caramel and strawberry and raspberry paste. Hints of cider as well.

Palate

Dry arrival at first, then fleshy white fruits, and a sweeter finish, again balanced by that grassy side, fading out on a hint of bitterness. Medium mouthfeel. 

With water: Creamier, still on fruits, but with light honey making its appearance.

This is a great balanced sipper, and I particularly appreciate the fact that the port influence is minimal, only here to add depth, not obliterate the distillery character, as is the case in many modern releases.

This is a very solid whisky, which I’m very glad to have, but while it could warrant a 7/10 just based on the quality of the liquid, I can’t help but feel I need to deduce a point at the price I paid. 

Review 2/2

Glen Ord 21yo, Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection, Bourbon Hogshead, 252 bottle outturn, 1996 vintage, 2017 bottling, 55.7% ABV
£103 at auction

You know the drill by now, this is another of my Cadenhead’s auction wins. I again got a pretty good deal on this one, even more so considering Angus had quite liked it over on Whiskyfun. I recently brought this bottle to a whisky club night where the theme was 90+ point scored whisky, and everyone liked it a lot, with some even saying this was their favourite whisky in the lineup, despite said lineup being exclusively composed of stunning whiskies and rums.

Nose

Tomato leaves in the greenhouse, radish, turnips, along with preserved lemons and waxes galore. Again some fennel, fresh this time, some dried white flowers and a hint of sandalwood. All of that is swimming in truckload of waxes and set honey.

With water: It comes alive ! Way more citrusy, on lemon juice and lime zest, remaining waxy, but cleaner wax (whatever that means).

Palate

Again, waxy, rich, and beautifully honeyed. Adding water has pretty much the same effect than on the nose, unlocking the fruity, citrusy and vegetal freshness. Apple slices and hints of maple syrup. Still those waxes…

I realise that my notes may downplay the perfectness of this whisky. It is just gorgeous. It’s truly an attention grabber, being so mature yet so fresh. The score reflects how much I love this bottle, especially at the price I paid for it.

Score: 9/10 AF

The Dregs

Well, I would have loved to have been able to tell you that the modern, port finished, 9yo release was rivalling its older sibling, but there is no question which whisky is the better one between those two.

Again, the Càrn Mòr is a very good whisky, and tasting it again is probably going to result in a well deserved bottle kill over the course of this summer, but the Cadenhead’s is such an impeccable, classy old malt, that the choice is easy to make.

Why this is the case is still a mystery though. Is it because added years of maturation have allowed oxygen and evaporation to do their thing, or is it because the process of making whisky was different back in the 1990’s?

Either way, both are very decent pours at least, so if you come across either of these two bottles, I encourage you to try it. Especially if Glen Ord hasn’t been on your radar as of yet.

Today’s musical pairing is a nod to fellow writers Ogilvie and Fletcher, who are part of the ever growing Dramface fan club for the legendary Canadian band Rush. Witch Hunt is probably my favourite Rush song, and it’s taken from what I see as their best album, Moving Pictures.

Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. AF

Other opinions on this:

Whiskybase (9yo)

Whiskybase (21yo)

My annoying opinions (21yo)

Got a link to a reliable review? Tell us.