Scotland's 'oldest' distillery and whisky brand up for sale - BBC News
BBC Homepage
Skip to content
Accessibility Help
Your account
Home
News
Sport
Earth
Reel
Worklife
Travel
Culture
Future
Music
TV
Weather
Sounds
More menu
More menu
Search BBC
Home
News
Sport
Earth
Reel
Worklife
Travel
Culture
Future
Music
TV
Weather
Sounds
Close menu
BBC News
Menu
Home
Climate
World
US & Canada
UK
Business
Tech
Science
Entertainment & Arts
Health
More
In Pictures
BBC Verify
Newsbeat
Scotland
Scotland Politics
Scotland Business
Edinburgh, Fife & East
Glasgow & West
Highlands & Islands
NE, Orkney & Shetland
South
Tayside & Central
Scotland's 'oldest' distillery and whisky brand up for sale
Published
22 June 2018
Share
close panel
Share page
Copy linkAbout sharing
Image source, EdringtonImage caption,
Scotland's oldest working distillery has been put up for sale by its owners
The Glenturret malt distillery in Crieff, and the Cutty Sark whisky brand, have been put up for sale by Edrington.
The Glasgow-based distiller has opted to focus investment on its single malts, including The Macallan and Highland Park.
It wants to focus its efforts for blended whisky on Famous Grouse.
It suffered a drop of around 4% in sales last year, but retained its leading position in the UK market.
The new owners will be able to develop Glenturret as a single malt brand, and to use Cutty Sark brand, which sells well in Spain, Greece and Portugal.
Tourist attraction
It was first launched in 1923 by Berry Brothers and Rudd, which sold it to Edrington in 2010. It is offering to continue blending and bottling at its plant in Glasgow, where it represents 10% of throughput.
The sale means the end of the Famous Grouse Experience - a busy tourist attraction in Crieff, Perthshire.
But Edrington hopes it will remain open under new ownership, and will be rebranded with Glenturret single malt, retaining 31 jobs at the site. It claims no redundancies are planned.
Glenturret is said to be Scotland's oldest working distillery, according to its website.
The sale was announced along with Edrington's financial results for the year to 31 March. Along with William Grant & Sons, it is one of the big Scots-based whisky distillers, with its profits going to the Robertson charitable trust, set up in the 1960s by three sisters who had inherited the company.
Core revenue was up 7% from the 2017 results, to £707m. Profit before tax rose by 3% to £195m, as the company raised its investment in marketing.
The so-called 2020 Strategy focuses on boosting the Macallan, which saw 7% growth last year. It is helped by a landmark, £140m visitor centre on Speyside, opened earlier in June, and it will have its first global advertising campaign in autumn with an £11m budget.
Orkney distillery
Highland Park, distilled in Orkney, has seen a 23% boost to marketing, with a new range and packaging, and that helped with a 15% boost in its sales.
Other premium brands owned by Edrington include The Glenrothes Single Malt - not from the Fife new town of that name but in a long-established Speyside distillery. It is now sold in 30 international markets, and will have a relaunch this summer.
The company has an interest in Tequila Partida, and it owns Brugal Rum, which saw growth of more than 10% in its core markets, the Dominican Republic and Spain.
Ian Curle, Edrington's chief executive said the market is encouraging in the near term, with all regions of the world seeing an upturn in economic growth.
He added: "While consumer trends are encouraging, the geo-political context, including Brexit, remains uncertain, Scotch whisky is a robust and successful industry but it faces increasing competition from authentic spirit categories leading to the 400-plus trade barriers faced currently.
"Against this backdrop, we want our governments to create a climate where economic development and growth is actively encouraged and rewarded."
Related internet links
Edrington
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
The video playlist
Watch our pick of standout clips from across the BBC
Previous
Next
1:41Watch as Starmer resigns and Burnham becomes PM. 00:01:41, play videoWatch as Starmer resigns and Burnham becomes PM
1:14Kevin Keegan dies aged 75. 00:01:14, play videoKevin Keegan dies aged 75
0:56Who is Andy Burnham and what does he stand for? 00:00:56, play videoWho is Andy Burnham and what does he stand for?
0:53What Burnham as PM may mean for sport. 00:00:53, play videoWhat Burnham as PM may mean for sport
0:38The mixed emotions of fans leaving World Cup final. 00:00:38, play videoThe mixed emotions of fans leaving World Cup final
1:01How exam and job worries sparked India's latest protests. 00:01:01, play videoHow exam and job worries sparked India's latest protests
1:20Catfish to pay student £10k for using her pics to fake dating profile. 00:01:20, play videoCatfish to pay student £10k for using her pics to fake dating profile
1:03Why has Japan changed its royal succession rules? 00:01:03, play videoWhy has Japan changed its royal succession rules?
0:49Are football shirts fashionable now? 00:00:49, play videoAre football shirts fashionable now?
1:00Couples could marry at the pub or in a hot air balloon under new plans. 00:01:00, play videoCouples could marry at the pub or in a hot air balloon under new plans
1:05Violence in Ukraine as military tries to recruit. 00:01:05, play videoViolence in Ukraine as military tries to recruit
1:05Why do we procrastinate? 00:01:05, play videoWhy do we procrastinate?
1:28Father warns of 'brain-eating amoeba' after son's death. 00:01:28, play videoFather warns of 'brain-eating amoeba' after son's death
1:32What are your rights if you buy something that breaks? 00:01:32, play videoWhat are your rights if you buy something that breaks?
0:57Granny wins care home Happy Hour law change. 00:00:57, play videoGranny wins care home Happy Hour law change
1:06Why women should speak openly about money. 00:01:06, play videoWhy women should speak openly about money
0:57When you say the wrong thing into a microphone. 00:00:57, play videoWhen you say the wrong thing into a microphone
Top stories
Live.
Healey appointed chancellor and Miliband becomes foreign secretary as Burnham picks cabinet
76661 viewing77k viewing
Who's in Andy Burnham's cabinet?
Published
6 minutes ago
Watch: Starmer resigns, Burnham becomes PM... the day in 101 seconds
Published
7 hours ago
More to explore
My fitness tracker knew I was pregnant before I did
Are you a parent missing out on £27 a week? Here's how to check
‘Everyone's afraid to die’: Struggle to recruit soldiers in Ukraine turns violent
'I had got used to the pain of coeliac disease'
The small seaside town winning big from TV tourism
'Audience applause helped me walk at graduation'
How Highland cows are giving a family farm a boost
'We had to stop fighting nature after losing five homes'
Get news, tips and ideas for your family with our Summer Essential newsletter
Elsewhere on the BBC
What will Andy Burnham's first day be like?
Get inside access to the new super-elite: The tech billionaires
Relive all the action from Spain's World Cup victory
First look: Vigil returns with higher stakes than ever
Most read
1
Who's in Andy Burnham's cabinet?
2
Man, 28, charged with murder of Ann Widdecombe
3
Rare identical quadruplets born in Australia
4
Burnham promises help with your money. How could it affect you?
5
Canadian wildfires rage as Trump warns Carney again over 'poisoning' US air
6
Tate brothers appear in US court for extradition proceedings
7
Newcastle, Liverpool and England legend Keegan dies
8
Burnham has big ideas - but what will they cost?
9
South East Water hosepipe ban to affect 2.4 million people
10
Notorious drug cartel leader Ismael Zambada sentenced to life in US prison
BBC News Services
On your mobile
On smart speakers
Get news alerts
Contact BBC News
Home
News
Sport
Earth
Reel
Worklife
Travel
Culture
Future
Music
TV
Weather
Sounds
Terms of Use
About the BBC
Privacy Policy
Cookies
Accessibility Help
Parental Guidance
Contact the BBC
BBC emails for you
Advertise with us
Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.