Drambuie

Drambuie is a whisky liqueur. A blend of aged Scotch whisky, spices, herbs & heather honey. Its origins can be traced to a secret recipe created for Bonnie Prince Charlie by his Royal Apothecary in the 18th Century. The name Drambuie is derived from Scots Gaelic ‘An Dram Buidheach’ and means “The Drink that Satisfies”. The story of Drambuie began in 1745 when it arrived on British shores under the guardianship of its original custodian, Prince Charles Edward Stuart (known as Bonnie Prince Charlie). It was the Prince’s personal draft in the form of an elixir, and he drank a few drops each day for strength and vitality. The Prince had travelled from Rome to raise an army in the hopes of restoring his exiled family, The House of Stuart to the throne of Great Britain. His unfortunate enterprise ended with defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Pursued by the King’s men he fled to The Isle of Skye. After a period of exile on the island his pursuers caught up with him and his fate lay with the Clan MacKinnon who bravely helped the Prince escape the British Isles for good. In thanks for his unwavering loyalty John MacKinnon, the clan leader, was gifted the secret recipe to the Prince's personal elixir, a treasure the Clan would cherish for generations. James Ross registered a patent for the name Drambuie in 1893. Later, his widow Eleanor moved with the recipe to Edinburgh, where in 1909 she worked with Malcolm MacKinnon, a whisky wholesaler, who began producing Drambuie in the city until it was acquired outright. In 1914, Malcolm MacKinnon and Georgina Davidson created the Drambuie Liquor Company Ltd and embarked on ambitious plans for export. They married a year later and ensured that Drambuie survived through the World Wars and Prohibition in the United States. 100 years later in 2014 The Drambuie recipe is passed on from one family owned company to another as William Grant & Sons acquire the brand. Since the handover the recipe has been kept in a safe at our blending facility near Glasgow. Only three people know the recipe, one of who personally mixes each batch of Drambuie essence and is the fifth generation of our founder William Grant. Fully owned by William Grant & Sons, a fifth-generation Scottish family distiller.