Cardrona 'Growing Wings' Single Malt Whisky 375mL

Cardrona 'Growing Wings' Single Malt Whisky is a cask-strength 5-year-old single malt in a 375mL bottle from Cardrona Distillery in the Cardrona Valley of Central Otago, New Zealand — a marriage of select ex-Oloroso sherry butts and ex-bourbon barrels in the distillery's "Solera," bottled non-chill filtered with natural color. It marks five years since the first spirit was laid down at Cardrona, following the distillery's 2019 inaugural 3-year-old release "Just Hatched." Because it's bottled at natural cask strength, the exact ABV varies by batch. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• Strength: natural cask strength (batch-dependent ABV — see bottle label)
• Age: 5 years in oak — ex-Oloroso sherry butts married with ex-bourbon barrels ("Solera")
• Distillery: Cardrona Distillery, Cardrona Valley, Central Otago, New Zealand — founded 2015 by Desiree Whitaker
• Process: South Island malted barley, 70+ hour fermentation, double-distilled in hand-hammered Forsyth copper pot stills; non-chill filtered, natural color
• Acclaim: 95.5 points in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2024

Five Years in the Cardrona Valley

Cardrona's second chapter reads like a growth story: "Just Hatched" was the 3-year-old inaugural release; "Growing Wings" celebrates five years in oak, marrying Oloroso sherry wood with bourbon barrels into a rich, pecan-pie dram. The NZ Falcon — the distillery's symbol of the whisky's progression — guards the maturing spirit. The brand's own note: "pecan pie, loaded with treacle and vanilla bean clotted cream." See more from Cardrona Distillery or browse Del Mesa's single malt whiskies and world whisky.

Tasting Notes

Vanilla bean, treacle, toasted pecans, sweet malt, and gentle oak on the nose; a palate of pecan pie, vanilla-bean cream, dark toffee, dried fruit, and warming cask spice; a long, rich finish of lingering vanilla, treacle, roasted pecan, and sherry spice. Cask strength brings real intensity — water opens it beautifully.

How to Enjoy

Add water to taste to find your proof; a natural after-dinner pour and a standout for cask-strength collectors.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ABV of Growing Wings?
It's bottled at natural cask strength, so the ABV varies by batch — check the bottle label. The same-SKU US listing shows 63.9% / 127.8 proof.

Is Growing Wings a charity bottling?
No — the name celebrates five years of maturation at Cardrona; there's no charity connection.

What casks are used?
A marriage of select ex-Oloroso sherry butts and ex-bourbon barrels.

Where is Cardrona Distillery?
The Cardrona Valley in Central Otago, New Zealand.

New Zealand single malt at full strength — order Cardrona 'Growing Wings' online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.