Berry Bros & Rudd sell Cutty Sark

Berry Bros. & Rudd is to sell the Scotch whisky, Cutty Sark to The Edrington Group and will acquire Glenroths. 

The 1.5 million case brand, currently the number three whisky in the Mediterranean markets, will join Edrington's Famous Grouse, Macallan and Highland Park. 

The blend was created in 1923, for the American market during prohibition where it was bootlegged as 'The Real McCoy'.

Edrigton has long supplied the ingredients for the blend, Emrys Inker, the firm's corporate affairs director, told Harpers: "We felt it was increasingly important to control our own distribution." 

Following the deal, Cutty Sark will be distributed by Maxxium in its biggest market - Spain, where blended Scotch has contracted sharply in recent years.

In return Berry Bros. will take on Glenrothes, said to be one of the world's fastest growing single malts. The Speyside whisky has estimated sales of around 40,000 cases a year.

• Editorial
• News