Page 6 - Drambuie Teaching Note

preserving the valuable link with Prince Charles Edward

Stuart and Scottish heritage in general.

In the US, during the 1950s in particular, Drambuie's

popularity was boosted when 'Rat Pack' actors such as

Frank Sinatra began drinking Rusty Nail, a combination of

Scotch, Drambuie and lemon.

By the 1970s Drambuie was selling 750,000 cases with

400,000 going to the US, all produced at a site opened in

1969 outside Edinburgh.

However, as sales declined a joint venture was entered

into, Glenaird. Drambuie however, remained a private

company, controlling its own marketing and distribution.

Within eighteen months of setting up Glenaird Drambuie

developed Drambuie Cream Liqueur in order to compete

in the market of other cream-based drinks, such as

Baileys. This was a separate drink for a separate market,

geared to a new generation of liqueur drinkers supported

through a new advertising campaign in the UK and

distributed through new distributors Bacardi-Martini

success in its other launch markets of Greece, Australia

and the Netherlands.

However, after the company had experienced a four year

run of losses and a rationalisation programme by the

family ended in a return to profit in 2001.