Cardhu comes from one of the oldest of the Speyside distilleries, which have nestled in foothills near the River Spey for 200 years and the Cardhu range is an excellent representation of these Speyside whiskies. Known for its smooth, sweet-natured single malt whisky, the history of Cardhu’s rise to fame is to a large part told in the story of two determined women who were members of the founding family.

Helen Cumming, who founded the distillery with her husband in 1811, can fairly be called the first ‘woman of whisky’, and her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, became known as the ‘Queen of the Whisky Trade’ after cleverly exploiting the growing popularity of Scotch whisky in the late 1880s. Elizabeth’s achievements made Cardhu an irresistible acquisition for John Walker & Sons in 1893. The new owners kindly allowed Elizabeth to remain in ‘her hospitable home’ to the delight of local folk, by whom she was highly regarded. The light character of the 12 Year Old Cardhu is an excellent starting point for anyone starting on their whisky journey.