The Group is a major private group in the Scotch whisky industry with a number of specialist operations covering every facet of Scotch whisky distilling, blending and bottling.
The origins of the Group, today one of the largest companies in the Scotch whisky industry, stretch back to the mid-nineteenth century when the company was founded in Glasgow by the Robertson family. Edrington continues to operate with the Robertson family values of Integrity, Independence, Involvement and Innovation.
The Robertson family was also responsible for founding Highland Distillers back in 1887 and in autumn 1999, Edrington acquired Highland along with its powerful brands The Famous Grouse, The Macallan and Highland Park. These are distributed throughout the world through a series of distribution networks and partnerships.
In February 2008, Edrington acquired a major shareholding in Brugal & Co, the leading producer of golden rum in the Dominican Republic. This agreement diversifies the Group's drinks portfolio outside of Scotch whisky for the first time and gives it access to one of the fastest growing spirit categories globally.
In April 2010, the Group acquired the Cutty Sark brand from Berry Bros & Rudd, with whom it has enjoyed a long trading relationship.
The Robertson Trust
Edrington is a Scottish company and is controlled 100 per cent by The Robertson Trust. The Trust bears the family name of the three Robertson sisters who had inherited the many Scotch whisky interests founded and developed by their father and grandfather. Keen to ensure the on-going success of these interests, in 1961 they brought them together under The Edrington Group (named after a farm near their home) and established The Robertson Trust. www.therobertsontrust.org.uk
This charitable trust is funded to a considerable degree by dividend income from the Group and is charged with supporting a wide variety of charitable causes, largely in Scotland. Last year, the Trust gave £11.4 million to charities.
Whisky distillation
The Group owns several malt whisky distilleries, including The Macallan, Highland Park, Glenrothes (though the brand is owned by BB & R) and Glenturret.
Total annual production capacity of over 17 million litres of alcohol. In addition, Edrington owns 50 per cent of The North British Distillery, which has an annual production capacity of over 60 million litres of alcohol.
Whisky warehousing
Edrington warehouses its whisky stocks at a number of sites across Scotland, with a total stockholding of over 300 million litres of bulk whisky.
Cask supply and repairing
In order to be called Scotch whisky, the Group's products must be matured in oak casks for a minimum of three years.
Edrington has over one million casks, made either from American Oak (ex bourbon) or European Oak (ex sherry wine). This includes over 50,000 casks in Spain, which are being "seasoned" with sherry wine prior to being delivered to Scotland for filling with whisky.
Given that Edrington uses casks more than once for the maturation of Scotch whisky, the Group also owns two cooperages in Scotland, which specialise in the repair of casks for re-use.
Blending
Edrington produces over 60 different whisky products, all of which require blending (mixing) before they are bottled. This blending operation is performed on the same site as the Group's bottling operation, and processes nearly 100 million bulk litres of whisky each year.
Whisky quality control
Throughout the whisky making process, the Group adopts rigorous quality control checks at all stages, from distillation to bottling. This focuses both on chemical and sensory analysis. The Group calculates that the liquid in each bottle of whisky it produces has experienced over 8,000 individual quality checks over the life of the whisky.
Whisky stock management
Whisky stocks are drawn from many distilleries across Scotland, as Edrington uses whisky from other distilleries - in common with the rest of the Scotch whisky industry. Edrington stocks whisky from over 70 different distilleries, ranging in ages dating back to 1926.
For more information on The Edrington Group, visit our website: www.edringtongroup.com
