The Finnieston Distillery Company (FDC) - formerly known as Dram2O – already reporting strong interest from leading UK supermarkets.
The brand will launch its ready-to-drink Scotch whisky cocktails across the UK in June and is currently in negotiations with a number of supermarket retailers and on-trade outlets.
Picture: The Finnieston Distillery Company
To create the new cocktail range, the FDC teamed up with specialist Scotch whisky blenders, Douglas Laing & Co, to create their very own premium blended Scotch whisky.
Described as a "market first", the team behind the new products say the range has been created in line with Scotch whisky’s international reputation and provenance but are also designed to appeal to people who might not see themselves as traditional whisky drinkers.
Led by entrepreneur, founder and CEO James Doig, the firm already successfully tested the range with a pilot run under their previous guise as Dram2O, with two of their cocktails selling out across Aldi’s Scottish stores.
• READ MORE: 5 great Scotch whisky cocktails to try out at home
Doig, who said the firm has already attracted significant funding support from a number of investors, said: “The customer response to last year’s pilot demonstrated there was a real demand for our cocktails.
"It also reinforced the research we’d conducted which showed there was a broad target market, both male and female, for products which combined familiar cocktail names with the versatility of Scotland’s national drink.
“Since we formed the business, our aim has been to take an innovative approach to Scotch whisky by creating high quality, convenient, ready to drink cocktails with a strong identity."
James Doig with the new range. Picture: Finnieston Distillery Company
Doig added that they want people to enjoy Scotch whisky "the way they want to, not how they’re told to".
He said: "We believe we’ve produced a range which combines the best elements of traditional and contemporary flavours.
“In line with Scotch whisky’s international profile, we’ve designed our range with a global audience in mind but it’s fair to say that our initial focus will be on the UK market."
The young businessman stated that the team have been happy with their initial production run and that "discussions are progressing well" with leading supermarkets and with the on-trade.
Speaking on the rebranding, Doig said: “This is the ideal time for us to rebrand – we’re a young Glasgow company, based on the fringes of Finnieston, which is now widely recognised as one of the most up and coming and fashionable areas of the UK.
“Finnieston has an historic association with Scotch whisky distilling and we’ve taken inspiration from Ebenezer Connal, a 19th century merchant who converted one of his family businesses into a distillery in Finnieston Street and created a Scotch whisky infused with exotic herbs and spices and a taste of heather which really made it stand out from others at that time.
“We thought that approach chimed perfectly with the vision we had for our products so, to some extent, we’re taking up where Ebenezer Connal & Co’s Distillery left off.”
The new range of whisky cocktails, which have been approved by the Scotch Whisky Association will include the Finnieston Fling - Scotch whisky, natural ginger ale, lemon, lime and mint, the
Scotch On The Beach – Scotch whisky, natural ginger beer, vanilla and strawberry, and the Shanghai Sour – Scotch whisky, natural lemon and sweet Lapsang honey.
