Drambuie

Drambuie has been bought by William Grant & Sons

William Grant & Sons has acquired Scottish liqueur business Drambuie from the MacKinnon family for an undisclosed sum.

Drambuie, produced under licence by Morrison Bowmore Distillers, an arm of Japan’s Suntory, was a “natural fit” for William Grant & Sons portfolio, said chief executive Stella David. 

“Drambuie 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,” she said.

Both Suntory and Diageo had been tipped as potential buyers.

Drambuie’s CEO Michael Kennedy said: “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.”

Other tipples in William Grant & Sons’ portfolio include Glenfiddich, Grant’s, Hendrick’s and Sailor Jerry. The business appointed its first-ever global whisky specialist for innovation last month.