Queen of Spices

The flavor of cardamom is found in many whisky styles

December 8, 2025 –––––– Jonny McCormick, , , ,

Cardamom is a cask and grain-derived flavor noted when tasting whisky, though it takes a little practice to identify it. Learning more about cardamom can help you pick out these subtle notes, but keep your senses on high alert whenever you put your nose in a particularly spicy dram, whether it’s rye whiskey, single pot still, grain, or scotch.

Think of cardamom, and you likely think of those spindle-shaped seed pods wrapped in papery green shells, notable for their triangular prism body shape—the spice equivalent of a Glenfiddich bottle. The pods can be used whole or the 10–20 seeds in each pod can be extracted and ground into powder to heighten the aromas and flavors. Cardamom has a wide variety of culinary uses, from Indian and Middle Eastern savory dishes to Scandinavian cakes, cookies, and desserts. In drinks, it can be found in cardamom chai and Turkish coffee; it is a common botanical used by gin makers, and cardamom bitters can spice up a cocktail with an injection of herbal intensity.

A member of the Zingiberaceae family, cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) grows in the southern parts of India and Sri Lanka, and has been cultivated in Southeast Asia, Central America, and North Africa. The harvested pods are cured to reduce their moisture content and preserve the flavor. The best pods should retain their green color, as pods that have been overheated during curing will turn yellow or brown and negatively impact the flavor quality. The main chemical compounds in cardamom are 1,8-cineole and α-terpinyl acetate, the latter being responsible for its sweeter characteristics. Cardamom also delivers a peppery flavor, with oak-derived notes like menthol and eucalyptus accompanying sweet floral and citrus aromas.

The main contenders for spiciness in your glass are typically single pot still Irish or rye whiskeys, where the grains are the origin of the spiciness in the spirit. While rye grain and unmalted barley contribute to spirit character, the spiciness can be dominated by clove, pepper, ground ginger, and baking spices, making it hard to single out the cardamom notes. Whiskies with curry powder notes give subtler, more exotic aromas from the spice market, and are one place where cardamom is likely to be found. Check the maturation details of your whisky too; virgin oak casks add plenty of spice, whereas exotic woods like amburana can deliver a spicy kick to any style of whisky. So go on a cardamom hunt in your whisky cabinet and spice up your life.