Multi-million Cardhu revamp
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THE story of two pioneering Moray women will be highlighted if plans to transform the visitor experience at Cardhu distillery get the go-ahead.
Johnnie Walker & Sons has submitted proposals to the council as part of a £150million investment in whisky tourism across Scotland.
Laura Sharp, the distillery's brand home manager, said: “Speyside is a hugely important part of the Scotch whisky tourism map and we are very excited by the plans for Cardhu, which we believe will bring new visitors to the distillery and to the region.”
“We have already shared our initial plans with the local community and now we look forward to working with local stakeholders as we progress the planning process."
Cardhu has strong ties to Johnnie Walker, being the first distillery it acquired in 1893.
However, the distillery near Archiestown, dates back even further than that.
It was set up in 1824 by Helen Cumming with the help of her husband John who had previously been a whisky smuggler.
After the harvest had been gathered, Helen would sell bottles to passers-by through the window of their farmhouse.
Sited high up on Mannoch Hill she could see the police coming from miles around and would throw flour on herself and say that she was baking bread to disguise the smell.
Helen would offer tea to the officers. Then, while they were occupied, she would take the opportunity to hoist a flag to alert the other distilleries in the neighbourhood
Cardhu was later rebuilt nearby, with Elizabeth Cumming, Helen's daughter-in-law, taking the helm and dramatically increasing production.
As well as transforming the visitors centre Johnnie Walkers also wants to carry out a significant amount of landscaping work, which would include the creation of an orchard.
