Cardhu is a Speyside distillery near Archiestown, Moray, Scotland, founded in 1824 by whisky smuggler John Cumming and his wife Helen. The distillery is now run by Diageo and the distillery’s Scotch whisky makes up an important part of the Johnnie Walker blended whiskies. The word “Cardhu” derives from the Scots Gaelic Carn Dubh, meaning “Black Rock“.
In December 2003, parent company Diageo caused controversy by halting the production of Cardhu single malt and replacing it with a blended malt which they labelled a ‘pure malt’ using the same bottle design and label as its single malt. The decision by Diageo angered both consumers and other whisky producers who were worried that the single malt image would be damaged. Diageo responded to the criticism by agreeing to change the label style and colour of their pure malt in order to avoid consumer confusion. Sales of Cardhu pure malt dropped substantially due to the change.
Cardhu recommenced producing a single malt in 2006.
Cardhu 12 Year Old is a soft, smooth Speyside single malt acclaimed for its elegant style and silky texture. Finest malted barley, pure spring water from the Mannoch Hills, slow traditional distilling and skilled maturation in oak all play their part in its creation. To fully savour each generous, honeyed layer of rich and fruity flavour, enjoy from a balloon glass.