Cardhu 1973 Rare Malts 27 Year Old Diageo Rare Malts Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2000) 70cl

A cracker of a dram from Diageo's Rare Malts. A historic selection of single malt whiskies from operational and lost distilleries that were released by Diageo between 1995 and 2005. Highly regarded in whisky circles as proper stuff.

A bottling of 1973 vintage Cardhu released as part of Diageo's Rare Malts range around the turn of the millennium. A 27 year old dram bottled at a fairly fierce 60.02% ABV.

About Cardhu

Cardhu is a Speyside distillery near Archiestown, Moray, Scotland founded by the whisky smuggler John Cumming in 1824. The distillery is currently run by Diageo and the distillery's Scotch whisky makes up an important part of the famous Johnnie Walker blended whiskies.

The word "Cardhu" derives from the Scots Gaelic Carn Dubh, meaning "Black Rock".

Legally established in 1824 by John Cumming, as Cardow distillery, it’s been long suspected that distilling was carried out on this site since the early 1800s. The distillery was rebuilt in 1884, before the blending company of John Walker & Sons from Kilmarnock took an interest in the 1890s, as they went about acquiring stakes in various distilleries. In 1893, they purchased the distillery and Cardhu has been forever associated with the striding man. The distillery itself has grown in tandem with the Johnnie Walker brand and changed its name to Cardhu in 1981 with a visitor centre also constructed just prior to the millennium. Most famously, in 2002, it launches a vatted single malt which comprises of malts from other Diageo distilleries. This isn’t well-received in some parts of the industry, in particular by rival competitor William Grant & Sons. Diageo eventually cancels the range in 2004 and since has focused on building the Cardhu single malt range, which enjoys staunch international support in countries such as Spain.