Blenders buy over Perthshire distillery
A Perthshire distillery has been bought over by a family-owned company from Glasgow.
Strathearn Distillery near Methven has been taken over by whisky blenders and bottlers Douglas Laing and Co.
The distillery began production back in 2013, and has become well known for its gin, rum and experimental spirits.
Its first single malt whisky, aged by three years and one day, was released in August 2016.
Tony Reeman-Clark, the founder of Strathearn Distillery, left the business in July this year, with ownership being handed to the then director Thomas James Burke.
Douglas Laing and Co acquired the distillery business on Wednesday, October 23.
Cara Laing, director of whisky and keeper of the quaich at Douglas Laing and Co, said: “Today marks a proud and historic landmark for Douglas Laing.
“For its first seven decades in the wonderful world of whisky, our family firm has been renowned amongst the finest independent bottlers, celebrated for its remarkable regional malts and exceptional single cask brands.
“2019, our 71st year in business, is the year we take a monumental leap, adding ‘distiller’ to our credentials and beginning a new chapter in our journey. A distillery very much in its infancy, Strathearn affords us the opportunity to create an extraordinary brand home for our family business and a global single malt brand steeped in our family firm’s history, heritage and passion.”
This comes after Douglas Laing and Co hoped to build its own distillery, to be called Clutha, on the banks of the River Clyde at Pacific Quay, Glasgow. However the distillery was just one part of a mixedused development by Drum Property Group, including 60 housing units and restaurants.
The project at Pacific Quay has been under consideration since August 2018 and has not yet received planning consent.
Chris Leggat, CEO of Douglas Laing and Co, said: “Strathearn is a wonderful addition to our portfolio.
“The distillery’s handcrafted and premium approach to single malt Scotch whisky production is entirely aligned with our own values, with no attention to detail spared. The acquisition comes at a time when Douglas Laing and Co is truly thriving.
“We are particularly proud to report double digit growth for a fifth consecutive year, plus nine new recruits to our team and several new markets opened recently for our core brands.
“Douglas Laing’s Strathearn Distillery allows us opportunity to now invest further in our team, whilst becoming masters of our own destiny in terms of Scotch whisky distillation.”
Strathearn Distillery’s existing non-whisky brands, including Dunedin rum, Strathearn heather rose gin and Strathearn Scottish gin, will remain under the control of Mr Burke under a separate company called The Whisky Garden Ltd.