Edrington (spirits company)

Last updated

The Edrington Group Limited
Company typePrivate limited company
Industry Drink industry
FoundedApril 25, 1961;63 years ago (1961-04-25)
FounderThe Robertson sisters (Elspeth, Agnes and Ethel "Babs")
Headquarters Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Area served
Worldwide
Products
Number of employees
2,500

The Edrington Group Limited, [1] trading as Edrington, is a privately owned international spirits company based in Glasgow, Scotland. [2] It produces single malts such as The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenrothes, Naked Malt, and The Famous Grouse blended Scotch whisky. The spirits portfolio also includes Noble Oak Bourbon of Independence, Kentucky, and Brugal, the leading golden rum in the Caribbean. It also owns shares in Wyoming Whiskey, an American whiskey made in Kirby, Wyoming, and No. 3 London Dry Gin. [3]

Contents

Based in Glasgow, it employs approximately 2,500 people in its wholly owned and joint venture businesses around the world. Approximately 1,000 employees are based in Scotland.

History

1861: founding of Robertson & Baxter

William A. Robertson began in business in Glasgow in 1850, forming Robertson & Baxter [4] in 1861. In 1885 the company took a share holding in the North British Distillery Company. In 1887 the company became part of a group that founded Highland Distilllers, with William Robertson as its first chairman. When William Roberstson died in 1893, his oldest son, James, became chairman.

1961: creation of Edrington and The Robertson Trust

The Robertson sisters (Elspeth, Agnes and Ethel) inherited the Scotch whisky interests founded and developed by their grandfather and father. Keen to ensure the independence of the company, the welfare of its employees and to continue their tradition of supporting good causes in Scotland, in 1961 the sisters created The Edrington Group [5] (named after their home in the Scottish Borders) to hold their business interests. [6] At the same time, they also established The Robertson Trust, a registered charity under Scottish law, which owns all voting shares in Edrington. The Robertson Trust is now Scotland's largest independent grant-making charitable trust, and is funded by the dividend income of its shares in Edrington. [7] By 2022, the Trust had donated more than £322 million to charities in Scotland since its inception and given financial support to young people from deprived backgrounds who are attending higher education.

In 1999 Edrington acquired Highland Distilleries through a partnership with William Grant & Sons taking a minority interest (the 1887 Company). [8]

21st century

In the New Year Honours 2008, former chairman, John James Griffin Good, was made a Knight Bachelor "for services to Scotland". [9]

Since 2008, Edrington has increased the international nature of its business through the acquisition of brands and sales and distribution companies in key markets. Its brands are distributed across the world by a network of wholly owned companies, joint venture companies and third party distributors.[ citation needed ]

In February 2008 the company bought a majority shareholding in Brugal of the Dominican Republic, the leading golden rum in the Caribbean. [10]

In April 2010 Edrington acquired Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky brand from long-standing trading partner Berry Bros. & Rudd. [11]

In 2014 Edrington moved its Asia headquarters from Hong Kong to Singapore and created a new regional hub for Asia – Edrington Asia Pacific.[ citation needed ]

In April 2014, Edrington ended its relationship with Rémy Cointreau in the United States, and created its own distribution company – Edrington Americas. [12]

In 2015, Edrington Global Travel Retail was created. It is based in the company's Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore. [13]

In 2016 Edrington acquired a minority stake in Tequila Partida. It sold its stake to Lucas Bols in 2021. [14]

In 2018 Edrington Americas took a minority stake in Wyoming Whiskey, an American whiskey. [15]

In 2018 Edrington sold Cutty Sark to La Martiniquaise, a privately owned spirits company based in France. [16]

In March 2019 Edrington sold 95% of the Glenturret distillery to the Swiss Lalique Group with private investors holding the remaining shares. [17]

In April 2023 Edrington increased its shareholding of Wyoming Whisky to 80%, making it a majority stakeholder. [18]

Brands

Edrington beverage brands include: [19]

Scotch whisky:

Single malt Scotch whisky: Highland Park, The Glenrothes, The Macallan

Blended Scotch Whisky: The Famous Grouse, Naked Malt

American Whiskey: Noble Oak, Wyoming Whiskey (majority stake)

Gin: No.3 London Dry Gin

Rum: Brugal

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotch whisky</span> Malt or grain whisky distilled in Scotland

Scotch whisky is malt whisky or grain whisky, made in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whisky</span> Distilled alcoholic beverage

Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak. Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port, rum or sherry are also sometimes used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speyside single malt</span> Single malt Scotch whiskies distilled in Strathspey

Speyside single malts are single malt Scotch whiskies, distilled in Strathspey, the area around the River Spey in Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey, in northeastern Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suntory</span> Japanese beverage company

Suntory Holdings Limited is a Japanese multinational brewing and distilling company group. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest companies in the distribution of alcoholic beverages in Japan, and makes Japanese whisky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diageo</span> Multinational alcoholic beverages company

Diageo plc is a British multinational alcoholic beverage company, with its headquarters in London, England. It operates from 132 sites around the world. It is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and other spirits. Distilleries owned by Diageo produce 40% of all Scotch whisky with over 24 brands, such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Old Parr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pernod Ricard</span> French company that produces distilled beverages

Pernod Ricard is a French company best known for its anise-flavoured pastis apéritifs Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis. The world's second-largest wine and spirits seller, it also produces several other types of pastis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Famous Grouse</span> Brand of Scotch whisky

The Famous Grouse is a brand of blended Scotch whisky produced by The Edrington Group in Scotland. It was first produced by Matthew Gloag & Son in 1896. The single malt whiskies used in The Famous Grouse blend include the Edrington-owned Highland Park and The Macallan. Its emblem is the red grouse, Scotland's national game bird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Grant & Sons</span> Scottish alcohol distillery

William Grant & Sons Ltd is an independent, family-owned Scottish company that distills Scotch whisky and other selected categories of spirits. It was established in 1887 by William Grant, and is run by Grant's descendants as of 2018. It is the largest of the handful of Scotch whisky distillers remaining in family ownership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cutty Sark (whisky)</span> Blended Scotch whisky

Cutty Sark is a brand of blended Scotch whisky produced by La Martiniquaise in Scotland.

A master blender is an individual who develops specific blended spirits using a combination of spirits with different characteristics. For example, in the Scotch whisky industry, master blenders choose which single malts and grain whiskies to combine to make particular brands of blended whisky. A master blender is not the same thing as a master distiller, although one person may do both jobs at small craft distilleries. As the name suggests, the blender creates blends using spirits from different casks and is responsible for making sure the product remains consistent across different batches, while the distiller is either directly responsible for the mashing and distilling of spirits or simply holds the title as the administrative and marketing figurehead of the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian whisky</span> Type of distilled liquor produced in India

As of 2006 most distilled spirits labelled as "whisky" in India were a form of Indian-made foreign liquor, commonly blends based on neutral spirits that are distilled from fermented molasses with only a small portion consisting of traditional malt whisky, usually about 10 to 12 percent. Outside India, such a drink would more likely be labelled a rum. According to the Scotch Whisky Association's 2013 annual report, unlike in the European Union (EU), "there is no compulsory definition of whisky in India, and the Indian voluntary standard does not require whisky to be distilled from cereals or to be matured. Very little Indian 'whisky' qualifies as whisky in the EU owing to the use of molasses or neutral alcohol, limited maturation and the use of flavourings. Such spirits are, of course, considerably cheaper to produce than genuine whisky." Such molasses-based blends made up 90 percent of the spirits consumed as "whisky" in India in 2004, although whisky wholly distilled from malt and other grains, was also manufactured and sold. By 2004 shortages of wheat had been overcome and India was one of the largest producers. Amrut, the first single malt whisky produced in India, was launched in Glasgow, Scotland in 2004. After expanding in Europe it was launched in India in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenglassaugh distillery</span>

Glenglassaugh distillery is a malt scotch whisky distillery which restarted production in November 2008 after being acquired by an independent investment group. Following a complete refurbishment by the new owners the distillery was re-opened on 24 November 2008 by then First Minister for Scotland Alex Salmond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corby Spirit and Wine</span> Canadian alcohol company

Corby Spirit and Wine Limited is a Canadian alcohol manufacturing and distribution company. It was founded in 1859 in Corbyville, Ontario. As of 2008, the company is 46% owned by Pernod Ricard. The company distills several Canadian specialities, as well as marketing Pernod Ricard's products in Canada. Corby is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbols CSW.A and CSW.B. Corby is known for funding free travel on the TTC on New Years Eve in Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tamdhu distillery</span>

Tamdhu distillery is a single malt Scotch Speyside whisky distillery, located in the village of Knockando in Banffshire, Scotland. Tamdhu comes from Gaelic for "little dark hill".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amrut Distilleries</span>

Amrut Distilleries Ltd is an Indian company that produces distilled beverages. It is best known for its eponymous Amrut brand of single malt whisky, which is the first single malt whisky to be made in India. The brand became famous after world famous whisky connoisseur Jim Murray gave it a rating of 82 out of 100 in 2005 and 2010. In 2010, Murray named Amrut Fusion single malt whisky as the third best in the world. John Hansell, editor of American magazine Whisky Advocate, wrote that "India's Amrut distillery changed the way many think of Indian whisky - that it was, in the past, just cheap Scotch whisky blended with who knows what and sold as Indian whisky. Amrut is making whisky, and it's very good". In 2019, Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whiskey was awarded the "World Whiskey of the Year Award" and Amrut Distilleries was awarded "Word Whiskey Producer of the Year" at the 2019 Bartender Spirits Awards in San Fransisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Martiniquaise</span>

La Martiniquaise is France's second-largest spirits group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of whisky</span> Distilled alcoholic beverage

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to whisky:

Arbikie Distilling Limited, trading as Arbikie Distillery, is a scotch whisky, vodka and gin distillery in Inverkeilor, Angus, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethel Robertson</span>

(Babs) Ethel Greig Robertson was an United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Scottish businesswoman and whisky brand investor. The companies that she and her sister controlled created the largest independent grant-making charitable trust in Scotland.

References

  1. ↑ "THE EDRINGTON GROUP LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House . 25 April 1961. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  2. ↑ "THE EDRINGTON GROUP LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.
  3. ↑ Admin, DRAM (5 July 2021). "Edrington reports 'encouraging' results and takes stake in No.3 London Dry Gin". DRAM Scotland. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  4. ↑ "Robertson & Baxter Group | Scotch Whisky". scotchwhisky.com. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  5. ↑ "THE EDRINGTON GROUP LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  6. ↑ Moss, Michael S. (13 June 2024), "Robertson, Ethel Greig [Babs] (1902–1985), whisky blender and distiller, and philanthropist", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000382521, ISBN   978-0-19-861412-8 , retrieved 28 June 2024
  7. ↑ "Our history". The Robertson Trust. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  8. ↑ "THE 1887 COMPANY LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  9. ↑ ""Edrington chief knighthood"". harpers.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "Confident Edrington Group buoyed by core whisky brands as Brugal golden rum boosts portfolio - 02/07/08". The Moodie Davitt Report. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  11. ↑ Pittilla, Mary Jane (3 February 2010). "The Edrington Group acquires Cutty Sark Scotch whisky". Moodie Davitt Report. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  12. ↑ beveragedaily.com (9 June 2014). "'Consumers want to drink less and drink better': Edrington Americas CEO on US spirits trends". beveragedaily.com. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  13. ↑ "Edrington launches specialist travel retail unit - Drinks International - The global choice for drinks buyers". drinksint.com. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  14. ↑ MarketScreener. "Lucas Bols N.V. agreed to acquire Partida Tequila from Shansby Trust and Edrington USA, Inc. | MarketScreener". www.marketscreener.com. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Edrington Acquires Wyoming Whiskey to Expand to US Whisky Market". www.drinks-insight-network.com. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  16. ↑ "Edrington sells Cutty Sark to La Martiniquaise-Bardinet". The Spirits Business. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  17. ↑ "Glenturret distillery in Crieff sold to Swiss wine maker". BBC News. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  18. ↑ Mathieu, Henry (5 April 2023). "Edrington buys majority stake in Wyoming Whiskey". Just Drinks. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  19. ↑ "Brands | Edrington" . Retrieved 25 October 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.