Cragganmore distillery was founded in 1869 by legendary distiller John Smith. The site was developed at Ballindaloch. The founder had previously managed Glenlivet, Macallan and other distilleries during his career. The chosen location for Cragganmore distillery seemed ideal. Its proximity to the railway lines, the easy access to water and the close location of barley farms in the area confirmed this.
The distillery operated without major incidents until the death of its founder in 1886. His family took on the running of the distillery until 1923 when the owners of the legendary White Horse blend acquired shares in the family enterprise. In the 1960's the distillery was acquired by the mighty Distillers Company Limited (DCL). This company changed its name to Diageo and they still own it.
Cragganmore single malt was released by Diageo in their 'Classic Malts Colelction'. Two official bottlings are available and independent bottlings are rare.
The character of the spirit produced at Cragganmore is influenced by the usage of worm tubs, a fermentation of over 50 hours and a unique pot still shape.