Scotch  Wars –

Distilleries Falling into Foreign Hands –

But New Boys Fighting Back

In a Scotland long long ago all the Scotch producers were native to the nation, but things have changed as industrial empires have swallowed up the brave little distilleries that make the ‘water of life.’ But the small producers are striking back.

There are 118 distilleries left in Scotland but now more than three quarters have fallen into foreign hands. A growing number of brands have now been absorbed by companies from outside the UK . The BenRiach distillery in Speyside was sold to Brown-Forman US drinks giant for a little short of £300 million in April of this year. So now only 29 of the 118 are in Scottish hands.

The League Table of Ownership

 Although a number of distilleries are under UK control with big boys like Diageo alone running 27 distilleries.  Diageo's operations maintain the UK ahead of France, who have 20 and the Japanese, who now have seven. There is even a Philippines and Thai interest in our national drink. The Philippines company owns famous old Whyte & Mackay!

Previously in 2012 the Remy Cointreau brand of France took over Islay Bruichladdich for a mere £58 million. On Loch Lomond where there used to be about 9 distillers now only the Loch Lomond Distillery Company survives and that was gobbled up by a private equity company Exponent which bought the distillery company's assets in 2014. The French company Pernod Ricard owns 15 sites which are part of the Chivas Brothers Scotch whisky section of its business. Native and new Scottish distillers are usually smaller in size with many of them are yet to produce any aged whisky.

The Water of Life Strikes Back

The jobs haven’t been lost because under law only whisky distilled in Scotland can be labelled Scotch and we are fighting back, just as we are in the production of every high quality gin. In the past few years ten new distilleries have opened, including the Dalmunach and Isle of Harris distilleries. I am looking forward to their cask aged whiskies a few years from now.

 A New Hope

If you want add to the pleasure of drinking Scotland’s national tipple then try our whisky lovers choices here.

https://www.jamespirie.com/whisky-gifts.html

Or the water of life range which have just little engraving of the fine old saying.

https://www.jamespirie.com/royal-scot-crystal/giftware/whisky-the-water-of-life.html