A story of two legendary women, who pioneered the world of whisky making. Making one of the oldest Whisky of Johnnie Walker portfolio.
Mentioned as “a most remarkable character and a woman of many resources; she possessed the courage and energy of a man, and in devices and plans to evade the gaugers, no man nor woman could equal her.”
John and Helen Cummin leased the Cardow farm at Knockando, Speyside in 1811. It was a perfect location for illicit distillation due to the abundance of barley and water. In 1816 John was already convicted three times for illegal distillation. It was actually Helen who was operating the stills, so she took the responsibility to deceive the excise officers.
Elizabeth Cumming
When the gaugers (excisemen) would come around, Helen used to disguise her distillery as a bakery, smeared her arms with flour. When the officers arrived she would serve them tea while she raised a red flag above the farmhouse to signal the other distillers and prochahs (boys who would run to spread the message) that the gaugers were in the neighborhood.
As the gaugers started to get frustrated about not able to find the illegal stills, they planned to bribe Helen. She dismissed it first but agreed with them later. Helen would call the excise-men after days and take them to caves and behind the big black rocks (Cardhu or Cardow is Gaelic for black rocks).
There the gaugers would find arrangements of a still and give her the money. What she did that she got worn out equipment's of fellow distillers collected at the locations. The police took back the equipment's back as evidence and she would split up the bribe with others. With this money they would buy new equipment's and go back to distilling.
She would walk 20 miles from her distillery to Elgin, with bladders of whisky beneath her skirt to sell to willing customers. Speaks largely about her love for her produce.
Helen’s son Lewis had run the distillery till late 1860’s, until his untimely death. It was Elizabeth his wife who took charge of the distillery, at the time she was 45 years old.
She expanded the distillery; the output went from 500 gallons per week to 1680 gallons per week. The older stills were sold to William Grant who was making a distillery of his own called Glenfiddich in Dufftown.
Cardow registered its name as Cardhu in 1890's.
Image Credit: Scotchwhisky.com
The whisky was mostly sold to blenders like Alexander Walker of John Walker and Son’s. In 1893 she sold the distillery to them for Euro 20,500 plus 100 shares.
Elizabeth ensured that the distillery is not completely out of the family’s hand, her son John Cumming joined the Board of Directors and she continued to live there. She also made certain that all of the distillery workers kept their jobs, and that electricity was brought to the area.
So, next time you order a dram make sure you give Cardhu a try, a malt with legacy. Cheers!!
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