William Grant & Sons is rumoured to be considering a £100m takeover of Drambuie, which has been put up for sale by the MacKinnon family. The liqueur, reputedly made from one of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s personal recipes, is also attracting attention from various other suitors including Remy-Cointreau, according to insiders.
With Scottish brands such as Hendrick’s, Balvenie and Glenfiddich already owned by William Grant & Sons, the addition of Drambuie would a suitable addition to its portfolio.
The MacKinnon family, who own Drambuie, claim that its origins date back to 1746, when Bonnie Prince Charlie was on the run after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden. He was aided in his escape to the Isle of Skye by clan leader John MacKinnon, whom the Prince rewarded by gifting him the secret recipe to his own personal liqueur.