The Spirit of Cardrona

Desiree Reid-Whitaker is the founder and managing director of Cardrona Distillery in Central Otago, New Zealand. Desiree is a Nuffield Scholar and former farmer from South Canterbury. In 2011 she began researching distillation and the crafting of great whiskies and spirits. She travelled widely for two-and-a-half years to learn her craft, including visiting many of the world’s great masters in the United States and Scotland. In 2013 she sold her farming business and went in search of the perfect location to realise her dream of creating a whisky that would stand tall on the international stage. Two and a half years later, the spirit flowed from the Cardrona stills for the very first time, and her journey to create world-class spirit began. Desiree lives in Wanaka with her husband Ash, and their two children.