Scotland’s thriving rum scene

Peter Holland, co-host of The Scottish Rum Festival masterclasses, tells us about Scotland’s thriving rum scene ahead of this year’s festival.    Ever since Dark Matter hit the news in 2015 for being the first Scottish Rum-producing distillery to open in the modern era, the Scottish Rum scene has been growing year on year. Fast…

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Gin, rum, and whisky brands unveil new looks

THREE of Scotland’s gin, rum, and whisky labels have revealed fresh designs for their bottles. Isle of Raasay Distillery took inspiration from its island’s geology for its new bottle. The shape of its glass is moulded from real rocks, fossils, and Raasay juniper. Local botanist Stephen Bungard helped the distillery hand-pick juniper on the island,…

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Kinloch Castle on verge of sale

KINLOCH Castle, the landmark property on the Isle of Rum, is on the verge of being sold. Businessman Jeremy Hosking is setting up a trust to buy the castle from NatureScot, the successor organisation to the Nature Conservancy Council, which bought the island in 1957 as a national nature reserve. The castle was used as…

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Two Guineas Spiced Rum will assist our sea heroes

Heroes Drinks Company, the world’s first non profit organisation in the alcohol sector, has announced the launch of a new spirit, Two Guineas Spiced Rum. The first rum that the business, headed up by ex serviceman Chris Gillan, has developed, Two Guineas Spiced Rum has been two years in the making and joins Heroes Drinks…

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Scots rum distillery launches £300,000 fundraiser

The UK’s first black female-owned distillery has its sights set on global expansion with the launch of a £300,000 equity crowdfunding campaign. Investment in the Matugga Distillery will help the rum company become a ‘cane to cask’ producer, with plans underway to develop a sugarcane plantation in Uganda. The Livingston-based distiller is recognised as one…

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Scots distillery’s turnover hits £1 million

Wester Distillery, a rum distillery based in the west end of Glasgow, is celebrating a successful 2021 which saw its annual turnover increase from £200,000 to £1 million. The 400% sales growth was achieved in part due to the business pivoting during the Covid-19 pandemic to focus on direct to consumer sales, with the closure…

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Distillery in good spirits after Business Gateway support

A business that specialises in manufacturing small batches of spiced rums, has successfully launched. The owners have gone on to increase its organic search traffic by 100% since launching in November 2020, by working with with help from Business Gateway. Based in the rural area of Strathaven in South Lanarkshire, the business was founded by…

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Rum & Cake is an ideal winter warmer

Scottish alchemists Buck & Birch have launched an innovative and indulgent spirit which is the perfect winter warmer. A wild sipping rum, Rum & Cake will warm the cockles and tease the tastebuds, on the cold winter nights. The finest dark rum is infused with the incredible Buck & Birch Hogseed Parkin, then cold-filtered to…

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Scottish rum producer expands its collection

Scottish rum producer Cabezon Beverage has unveiled its new Speyside cask aged expression, Ron Cabezon – The Accord. The Accord is the second expression from the burgeoning Scots firm, which launched in October 2021. The Accord takes Cabezon Beverages award winning botanical rum, Ron Cabezon and ages it for another year in Speyside whisky casks.…

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Blind tastings crown an 18-year-old Highland malt

Deanston 18 Year Old has triumphed in The Whisky Exchange’s annual tasting, taking the top spot in the only official blind whisky judging undertaken by members of the public. Deanston, a Highland distillery housed in an old cotton mill on the banks of the River Teith, claimed the crown in the 8th annual Whisky of…

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