Latest news with #FamousGrouse
Forbes
01-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Glenfiddich Owners William Grant & Sons Acquire Famous Grouse
The iconic Scotch whisky brand - Scotland's bestselling whisky - has now been acquired by family ... More firm William Grant & Sons. Following a number of regulatory approvals including from the UK Competition & Markets Authority, Scotch whisky titans and family firm William Grant & Sons has officially acquired two well-known whisky brands—The Famous Grouse and Naked Malt. Though for months the acquisition was an open secret within the industry, it was officially announced today (July 1st) and marks a significant addition to the company's iconic stable of Scotch whisky brands and distilleries which includes names like Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Monkey Shoulder, and many more. The purchase sees the brands transferred from previous owners Edrington, who own the Macallan and Highland Park distilleries, amongst others. According to The Northern Scot, Edrington had announced the agreement last year in September, as the company wanting to focus further on 'ultra-premium spirits'. William Grant & Sons' addition of Famous Grouse and Naked Malt further strengthens its offering in the Scotch blends where Famous Grouse has long been a leader—it's the bestselling whisky in Scotland. Soren Hagh, the recently appointed chief executive of William Grant & Sons, expressed his enthusiasm for the acquisition in the official press announcement: 'I am delighted to complete this acquisition and welcome The Famous Grouse into our portfolio. It is a remarkable Scottish brand with rich history and a strong market position in a number of countries. Over the coming years, we will build on this strong foundation and work to evolve the brand into a true global icon. We also see a lot of potential in Naked Malt, which will be a great addition to our portfolio. Together, these brands perfectly complement our vision for growth, and we look forward to investing in their future and sharing their stories with whisky lovers around the world.' The deal concludes several months of negotiation and transition planning between William Grant & Sons and Edrington, the Glasgow-based company that had owned Famous Grouse since the 19th century. While Edrington has been shifting focus toward premium single malts like The Macallan and Highland Park, Famous Grouse had remained a key revenue generator in its portfolio. According to industry coverage the acquisition includes both the brands and their associated inventory (including spinoff brands such as Famous Grouse Smoky Black, Sherry Cask Finish, and others) are now fully under WG&S control, though exact production arrangements haven't been revealed. It's likely that existing contracts and bottling facilities will stay in place for now. First launched in 1896, Famous Grouse is the creation of grocer Matthew Gloag III from Perthshire and has been Scotland's bestselling whisky since 1980. It also holds a Royal Warrant, which was renewed by King Charles III in December 2024, and exports to over 100 countries. Naked Malt was first launched as the Naked Grouse in 2011 before becoming a standalone brand in 2017 and then renamed in 2021. This one is a blended malt whisky aged in first-fill sherry casks that's proven to be a particular hit in Asian markets. With the acquisition of both brands, William Grant & Sons strengthens its hand in the blended market - this is particularly interesting as so many other whisky companies, such as Edrington, focus on going premium these days. In any case, consumers won't see any significant changes for the moment with the shift in ownership, but it will certainly be interesting to see what comes next for such an iconic whisky brand like Famous Grouse.
Scotsman
12-06-2025
- Scotsman
The Malt Whisky Murders, by Natalie Jayne Clark review: 'an entertaining caper'
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Whisky and Murder go together, in Scottish crime fiction anyway. Here they do so quite light-heartedly. One of the quotes on the back cover calls this book "Hilarious, brave and original." Others might call it a caper. That's to say: it is entertaining, but seems to have little connection with reality. Of course, that's true of much crime fiction here in Scotland, where we have just been told that the homicide rate is the lowest for more that 20 years - a fact not really reflected on the shelves of our bookshops. Whisky has of course gone up in the world - single malts that is. They were rare when I was young, rarely seen in a pub. In middle-class households, the whisky bottle - Johnny Walker Red Label, Famous Grouse or Vat67 - sat next to a soda syphon. In public bars there would be a jug of water and a bottle of lemonade on the counter. Farmers and manual workers often topped up their dram with the lemonade free of charge. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Times have changed. Eilidh is a young woman who, from her early years, has made herself a malt whisky expert, starting off with a blog and then branching out. Now, with her wife Morag, formerly a distinguished Scotsman journalist, she has bought a distillery in Campbelltown. This should ring alarm bells with the reader; we know from the work of the late lamented Denzel Meyrick that the Mull of Kintyre has a murder rate to rival Chicago in Prohibition days. The distillery is derelict, and much clearing-up and renovation needs to be done before TV crews can be invited in to promote the new venture. This, it transpires, will take longer than hoped: long-dead, fully-clothed corpses are soon discovered in two of the barrels which came with the sale. Sign up to our FREE Arts & Culture newsletter at Now most of us, I suppose, if we discovered we had bought two corpses along with a distillery, would call the police. But not Eilidh, even though the bodies in the barrels have been there about as long as she has lived. Morag, being a former journalist, has her doubts about remaining silent and carrying on with the renovations, but she nevertheless agrees with her wife. So, Eilidh gets on with the work and with winning the support of the local community. She is good at this. She is pretty good at most things, and headstrong too. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Parts of the novel are told in another voice. This belongs to a character we know only as "You". This person worked in the distillery long ago when it was already in decline, sales falling, if slowly. 'You' insisted they must change their image - suggested innovative advertising was needed to attract new customers, that it was no good just appealing to old buffers, that you can't win a new market with images of of tweedy old boys sitting in the heather with a Labrador at their feat. But "You' was rebuffed, and went away promoting and selling other brands all overt the world. Now, however, "You" is back in Campbelltown. Does "You" have anything to do with the dead men? And who are they anyway? I couldn't possibly comment. The Malt Whisky Murders is an entertaining novel, feather-light, flowing along at a good pace. The main characters are likable and Eilidh and Morag have a fine dog, always welcome in a novel. It is brisk and frothy and you will also quite probably learn something about whisky. It would of course have been different if they had called the police, but this doesn't really matter.
Scottish Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Scott McTominay dances with old fan while puffing on cigarette as never-ending Napoli title party continues
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Napoli title party looks like it's never going to end. And nobody seems to have been enjoying every second of it more than Scott McTominay! Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Headline: Scott McTominay dances with old fan while puffing on cigarette as never-ending Napoli title party continues, Credit: X Napoli secured their fourth Serie A crown on Friday night. Scotland star McTominay, as he has been all season long, was at the centre of the success with a stunning acrobatic effort breaking the deadlock against Cagliari. A 2-0 win saw Gli Azzurri win the Scudetto and McTominay was visibly emotional after the biggest achievement of his career to date. McTominay, 28, has been the best player in Italy this season after his £25million move from Manchester United. With 12 goals from midfield, he captured the hearts of the Napoli fans who absolutely idolise him. Fans have been paying homage to McTominay in all kinds of ways, ranging from pizzas to tattoos while an incredible shrine in his honour now has pride of place in Naples city centre. And the Hampden hero has certainly been giving the love back in the wake of his team's stunning title triumph. He's been front and centre of Napoli's fervent celebrations. McTominay and Scotland teammate Billy Gilmour were spotted leading wild celebratory scenes in a restaurant KITCHEN over the weekend. There was also an amusing moment during Napoli's open top bus parade when a fan threw a bottle of WHISKY up to the top deck for McTominay. Moment Scott McTominay drinks from whisky bottle on open top bus parade Napoli He was only too happy to unscrew the cap and take a rather large swig out of the Famous Grouse bottle before handing it back. But the celebrations certainly haven't ended there. Another brilliant video has emerged of McTominay on social media. The midfielder - who can be seen puffing a cigarette - has peen spotted DANCING with an elderly fan. Scott McTominay's career Born in Lancaster on December 8, 1996 Joined the Manchester United youth system aged five and signed his first professional contract in 2013 Made his Premier League debut against Arsenal in May 2017 McTominay went on to win Carabao Cup and FA Cup with Man Utd Made 255 appearances and scored 29 goals for the Red Devils McTominay joined Napoli in August for £25.7million Born in England, he qualified for Scotland through his dad who's from Helensburgh McTominay was called-up by Scotland in March 2018 and has gone on to become a huge Hampden favourite He was part of the squad at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 He won his 50th cap while playing against Germany at Euro 2024 McTominay has scored some huge goals for Scotland, including an injury-time winner against Israel and his famous double in the 2-0 win over Spain in Glasgow McTominay is absolutely loving the moment too, with a beaming smile and laughter. The old man looked to be thoroughly enjoying himself too, while the star's girlfriend Cam watched on with a smile on her face. After all the wild celebrations, the Napoli players headed to the Vatican to meet Pope Leo XVI. McTominay was seen shaking hands with the recently appointed Pontiff. 4 Scott McTominay meets Pope Leo XVI Credit: EPA 4 He scored as Napoli clinched the title Credit: Reuters 4 McTominay with girlfriend Cam Reading Credit: INSTAGRAM Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
The Courier
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Where can you find £5 cocktails during Perth Cocktail Week?
Perth Cocktail Week will return to the city from Friday May 23 to Sunday June 1. Last year's inaugural event brought in over £260,000 to the local economy, proving that this event can have a real impact on the city's food and drink businesses. The businesses that have signed up to take part in this year's event, including Crido's, Kisa's and The Bank Bar, are hoping for a similarly lucrative week this time around. Event organiser and director of Agency, Alice Christison is confident this year's event will be a success. Alice said: 'Year 2 of Perth Cocktail Week will be bigger and better; we're thrilled that Perth & Kinross Council are behind the event to drive support to the city centre and its venues.' Many venues have signed up for the event, including some of the best pubs and bars in Perth. All of them are offering a variety of discounted food and drinks. These include a number of signature cocktails priced at just £5. Non-alcoholic alternatives will also be available. The Old Ship Inn, That Bar Lounge, Brown & Blacks, Sandeman, Broth3rs Restaurant and the Salutation Hotel have confirmed that they are taking part in Perth Cocktail Week. So have Sidhu's, Malts and Spirits, The Mexican, Everest Inn, The Parklands Hotel and several other businesses. Eric Drysdale, Perth and Kinross Council economy and infrastructure convener, said: 'We're lucky to have such a great range of restaurants and bars in Perth and Kinross. 'Perth Cocktail Week is a great opportunity for people to revisit their favourite venues – or try somewhere new.' Wherever they end up, customers will be able to enjoy some excellent cocktails like The Twa Tams' Apple P-Aye. This drink is made with Fireball, Famous Grouse, cider and apple juice. And it's not just about the cocktails. Many restaurants are pulling out all the stops when it comes to food. Kisa's, for example, will be serving bar snacks, including pulled pork loaded fries, for just £3.30. Customers must purchase a wristband and wear it when visiting the participating venues to enjoy the discounts. Wristbands can be collected from Perth Theatre, Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm. They can also be picked up from Kisa's anytime between 12pm and 8:30pm, seven days a week.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
Native Aussie animal spotted over 15,000km from home in 'surreal' moment
There are millions of them here in Australia but to spot a wallaby 15,000 kilometres away on a remote island in Scotland is deemed an "absolute rarity" — and it's a unique experience two locals were thrilled to share. Craig Ferguson, 21, and Greig McBride, 31, have explored much of their home country but admitted to Yahoo News spotting a wallaby off the banks of Loch Lomond, located over 40 kilometres from Glasgow, was nothing short of "surreal". "This is the first time in my life I've seen a wallaby and to watch it hop around in the wild was crazy... we managed to catch sight of two," Craig said. The pair camped overnight in freezing temperatures on Inchconnachan Island, known locally as Wallaby Island, and were pinching themselves when they spotted the illusive animals in the chilly forest. "People know about Wallaby Island in Scotland but aren't sure if they're genuinely there or if it's a myth... I knew they were real but thought I had no chance of seeing them," he told Yahoo. A population of red-necked wallabies were introduced to the island in the 1940s as part of Countess Fiona Bryde Gore's private exotic animal collection. The animals, native to much of Australia's east coast and Tasmania, adapted to their new environment and have been living there ever since, with reports the animals even hop across the frozen loch and navigate the woodlands during severe winters. There was initially 60 of the animals introduced to the moody landscape but it's unknown exactly how many still inhabit the island. "There's no exact figure of how many are left," Craig explained. "It was said that in their peak there was maybe about 50 to 60, which is obviously a lot, but now people think there's probably less than 10". "I genuinely felt as if we'd spotted a rare animal and that's what they are in Scotland. Not many people here can say they've seen a wallaby in their own country." 😲 Extraordinary moment wallaby turns tables on invasive predator 🏴 Kookaburras spotted in wilds of Scotland by excited adventurer 📸 Hidden camera captures adorable moment with rare marsupial It is feared the invasive species threatens Scotland's native capercaillie, the country's most endangered bird. It is the largest of the grouse birds in the country and its cousin, the red grouse, is famously featured on the label of Scotch whiskey Famous Grouse — with millions of bottles exported around the world every year. However, others claim the two animals have been able to coexist on the island. The wallaby population in Scotland is not the only one in the UK. A University study mapped 95 confirmed wallaby sightings across the UK in 2020 with most being in southern England. An English driver was shocked to spot what he thought was a "kangaroo" hopping down a Cornwall road in the country's south last May and followed it for over 10 minutes until he realised it was actually a wallaby. "I was a bit shocked to see a wallaby in Cornwall, it was quite the sight to see," Kieran Adams told local media. Another wallaby was also reported roaming the streets in Cornwall in 2020, and a population of the marsupials live in the Midlands, with a wildlife enthusiast who captured footage of the animals in a snow-covered field telling Yahoo News he was utterly elated to locate them. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
