The Cardrona The Falcon

Cardhu Single Malt Scotch Whisky traces its origins to 1893 when John Walker & Sons acquired the Speyside distillery for £20,500, marking their inaugural distillery purchase. The distillery's legacy is profoundly shaped by two pioneering women: Helen Cumming, who managed operations alongside her husband John from its early days, and her daughter-in-law Elizabeth Cumming, who became one of Scotch whisky's most legendary figures. Elizabeth earned the moniker 'Queen of the Whisky Trade' for her exceptional business acumen in expanding and modernizing the facility during the late 19th century. Currently owned by Diageo, Cardhu ranks as the group's third best-selling single malt globally, following The Singleton and Talisker, with 2018 sales approaching 3 million bottles. The distillery operates with an 8-ton stainless steel full-lauter mash tun, ten washbacks (eight larch and two stainless steel) with an extended 75-hour fermentation period, and three pairs of pot stills. In 2019, four new wooden washbacks replaced the original larch vessels, and the distillery ran seven days per week, processing twenty-one mashes weekly to produce 3.4 million liters of new make spirit annually. Cardhu's core portfolio comprises 12-, 15-, and 18-year-old expressions, supplemented by two no-age-statement offerings: Amber Rock and Gold Reserve. The range also includes a Special Cask Reserve matured in refurbished port pipes. In spring 2019, Cardhu Gold Reserve House Targaryen debuted as part of the Game of Thrones whisky collection, followed by a 14-year-old expression in Diageo's annual Special Releases. The distillery is undergoing a major visitor center renovation as part of Diageo's £150 million Four Corners project, which will establish a flagship Diageo experience center in Edinburgh with four satellite sites at Cardhu, Clynelish, Caol Ila, and Glenkinchie. Submitted to the local community council in April 2019, this initiative will celebrate the remarkable stories of Helen and Elizabeth Cumming, positioning their legacy at the heart of the visitor experience and highlighting Cardhu's unique place in whisky history as a distillery built by women.