About Cardhu Whisky Distillery
Distillery Number
01340 872555
Distillery Founded
1824
Distillery Capacity
2 390 000 litres
Distillery Status
Active
Distillery Owner
Diageo
Distillery Address
Knockando, Aberlour, Moray AB38 7RY
Distillery Website
www.malts.com
1811
The whisky smuggler John Cumming founds an illicit distillery.
1824
John Cumming applies for and obtains a licence for Cardhu Distillery.
1846
John Cumming dies and his son Lewis takes over.
1872
Lewis dies and his wife Elizabeth takes over.
1884
A new distillery is built to replace the old.
1893
John Walker & Sons purchases Cardhu for £20,500 but the Cumming family continues operations. The whisky changes name from Cardow to Cardhu.
1908
The name reverts to Cardow.
1930
Administration is transferred to Scottish Malt Distillers (SMD).
1960
– Reconstruction and expansion of stills from four to six.
1981
The name changes to Cardhu once again.
1998
A visitor centre is constructed.
2002
The popularity of Cardhu leads to supply problems for Diageo. They decide to change Cardhu single malt to a vatted malt with contributions from other distilleries in it.
2003
The whisky industry protests sharply against Diageo’s plans. Diageo negotiates a compromise with Scotch Whisky Association.
2004
Diageo withdraws Cardhu Pure Malt.
2005
The 12 year old Cardhu Single Malt is relaunched and a 22 year old is released.
Reproduced from the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2009 with the kind permission of Mr Ingvar Ronde