Scotch whisky

Chivas Brothers, Pernod Ricard’s Scotch whisky arm, has sold its Glenallachie distillery to a trio of investors.

Ex-BenRiach MD Billy Walker, ex-Inver House MD Graham Stevenson, and Trisha Savage, who worked with Walker at BenRiach, have acquired the Scottish business for an undisclosed amount. Under the name The Glenallachie Consortium, they have also bought the Glenallachie single malt brand and MacNair’s and White Heather blended Scotch brands.

The deal includes “relevant inventories to support future development” of the brands, and is expected to close before the end of 2017.

The Glenallachie disposal was “in line with Pernod Ricard’s strategy to focus on its priority spirits and wine brands and to adjust its industrial footprint to its needs”, said the spirits giant.

The deal comes as Pernod’s UK sales were boosted by price hikes in the wake of Brexit-fuelled currency uncertainty, according to its April trading update.