Cardhu

Cardhu stands in Speyside, near Knockando, on the hills above the River Spey. Its story begins with the Cumming family, who took out a licence in 1824. In 1893 the distillery was bought by John Walker & Sons, and it has been tied to Johnnie Walker ever since. Today it belongs to Diageo.

Cardhu's spirit is light, sweet and fruity, often described with notes of pear, apple and honey. Much of what it makes goes into blends, but the single malt is a big seller in its own right, particularly in southern Europe. That popularity led to the short-lived Cardhu Pure Malt in the early 2000s, a vatted malt sold under the Cardhu name, before the brand went back to single malt.

The range a buyer meets most is the 12 Year Old, along with the no-age-statement Gold Reserve and older bottlings at 15 and 18 years. Older 12 Year Old labels from the late 1980s and 1990s turn up on the secondary market. Diageo has also released older, cask-strength Cardhu in its annual Special Releases, such as the 21 Year Old 1991 in 2013 and a 2022 edition.

Independent bottlings are uncommon because almost all the spirit stays within Diageo, but occasional casks appear from bottlers such as Douglas Laing.