Page 4 - Drambuie case study

ORIGINS

It’s probably true to say that many of you reading this case

study will never have tried Drambuie, may never even have

heard of it. It is not owned by one of the big conglomerates,

like Diageo, Suntory or Allied Domecq. It is in fact a privately

owned company with a rich history reaching back to Bonnie

Prince Charlie and the failed Jacobite rising of 1745 which

has carved a unique market presence in the sweet liqueur

drinks market.

In 1746 as a reward for

their aid in protecting

the prince and helping

him escape the English

armies Captain John

MacKinnon, of clan

McKinnon on Skye, was

given as a farewell gift

by the Prince, the

precious recipe for his personal "eau de vie" liqueur. This

gift was preserved by the MacKinnon family, and ultimately

matured into Drambuie - the drink that satisfies - a honey-

and herb -flavoured golden scotch whisky liqueur made

from aged malt whisky, heather honey and a secret blend of

herbs and spices. This ‘secret recipe’ is reputed to be passed

down the female side of the family with the matriarch only

allowed to prepare the secret mixture.