William Grant & Sons snaps up Drambuie

William Grant, which is based in Banffshire, Scotland, said Drambuie was a natural addition to its portfolio of premium consumer-led brands which include Glenfiddich and The Balvenie single malt Scotch whiskies.

Other brands within the group are Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey, Grant’s blended Scotch whisky, Hendrick’s gin and Sailor Jerry spiced rum.

‘Passion’​

“We have a passion and a reputation for nurturing and building brands,”​ said William Grant & Sons’s ceo Stella David. “Drambuie is a natural fit for our portfolio, it has a very rich history and a great story to tell and we are delighted to be in a position to start to re-engage with existing drinkers and to connect the brand with an entirely new generation of consumers.”​

Drambuie’s ceo Michael Kennedy commented: “We are pleased to complete this process with William Grant & Sons, a company who holds true those family values which will help nurture Drambuie to begin its next chapter of growth.​

‘Smoothly integrate’​

“As part of the William Grant & Sons stable of brands, we believe that Drambuie can truly achieve its potential as it will benefit from being part of a larger and more diverse organisation. I look forward to working with the William Grant & Sons’s team as we smoothly integrate the acquisition and help realise the benefits for both companies.”​

A family spokesperson for William Grant & Sons said: “We have always been secret admirers of Drambuie. We are very grateful to the MacKinnon family for entrusting the future of this iconic brand to our family, and we will do our best to make them proud in the decades ahead.”​

Drambuie is a blend of aged Scotch whisky, spices and heather honey which boasts a history going back to 1745.