August 27th, 2025: Coleburn rebirth, Benromach investments and other news
Coleburn distillery rebirth, Benromach investments, Mark Anthony Group closes RTD plant, debate over Aguascalientes Mezcal, a rye grain from 1878 shipwreck and more…
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Hello everyone!
There is no news on international trade and tariffs today. Instead, we're focusing on local news, but there are still some interesting developments to highlight.
Distillery news
Speyside’s Coleburn distillery set to reopen
After being mothballed for 40 years, Speyside’s Coleburn distillery is poised for a comeback. Keith Cruickshank, who spent three decades at Benromach, has been appointed master distiller. alongside distillation, owner D&M Winchester is planning to build a Whisky Resort that will include both hospitality and production facilities.
There is an article by Xander Elliards about this topic on The National:
Historic B-listed Scotch whisky distillery to be reborn after 40 years
If you are looking for more details about Coleburn relaunch, you can also check D&M Winchester’s website.
While the website graphics appear to be under development, you can still find information and the distillery plans here:
From an Italian perspective, the Scotch whisky industry does not seem to have fully capitalised on hospitality and agritourism opportunities, but something is starting to move in that area. I’ll try to keep an eye on this for you.
Benromach increases stock capacity with new warehouses
Gordon & MacPhail-owned Benromach distillery has just added three new warehouses with a multi-million-pound investment. “Increasing our maturation capacity will allow us to continue to produce high-quality single malts across our portfolio of brands for decades to come,” said Jade Crotty, head of compliance and infrastructure at G&M in a press release published yesterday on the company’s official website.
You can read it here:
Gordon & MacPhail completes a multi-million-pound warehouse expansion
I had the chance to visit Benromach in May on a trip to Speyside, and their warehouse expansion was in progress.
I’ve noticed that several Scotch whisky producers - especially the historical ones - are planning to lay down more whisky in the coming years, in a strategic move to face the current market slowdown. What can't be sold now can be aged for future market upturns, thus avoiding too much product on the market.
I’d like to hear your point of view on this topic. What do you think?
Mark Anthony Group halts RTD production facility in the US
As we learned from the SipSource’s report, RTD category is growing in the US, but it is also extremely crowded, with significant differences between products segments and brands. Some may be performing well, some may not, and I suppose White Claw owner is a good example of this situation.
The company is set to cut 143 jobs in autumn at its plant in Hillside, New Jersey, where it produces Mike’s Hard Lemonade, White Claw Hard Seltzer, Cayman Jack and MXD Cocktails.
Article by Nicola Carruthers on The Spirits Business:
If you don’t remember SipSource report or have not read it yet, you can find it in our 20th August press review here:
Mezcal appellation still debating Aguascalientes
Mezcal producers seem to still be debating the inclusion of Aguascalientes into the appellation. Oaxaca, in particular, appears to be opposing the decision. Here are a couple of articles from El Sol del Centro to help you follow the situation:
by Rebeca Aguilera:
¡Denominación de origen del mezcal de Aguascalientes sigue firme pese a oposición de Oaxaca!
by Juan Pablo García:
by Luis Ramírez:
Rechazan productores oaxaqueños ampliación de la Denominación de Origen del Mezcal a Aguascalientes
Something to read
Michigan-based Mammoth Distilling revives forgotten rye grain from 1878 shipwreck
A Michigan distillery team is attempting to resurrect an extinct variety of rye grain from a Great Lakes shipwreck to make a unique whiskey. The James R. Bentley schooner sank in Lake Huron in 1878 carrying 37,000 bushels of rye that no longer exists in production today.
Chad Munger of Mammoth Distilling, historian Ross Richardson, diver Dusty Klifman, and shipwreck owner Paul Ehorn collaborated on this project after previously working to bring back another extinct Michigan rye variety called Rosen rye.
I came across this story in an article by Sarah Neish on The Drinks Business and then found the full story on Fox News West Michigan, by Andy Curtis.
You can read it here, hope you appreciate it:
Time-Traveling Whiskey: Divers harvest extinct rye from Great Lakes' shipwreck
That’s all for today!
I’ll see you on Friday ;)