ANOTHER GROUSE BUT EQUALLY FAMOUS

 The Famous Grouse Limited Edition
IN CelebratION OF 15 Years With RSPB

The Famous Grouse, Scotland’s No.1 whisky for over 40 years, has unveiled its limited-edition bottle design in celebration of the remarkable 15-year collaboration between The Famous Grouse and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Starting in 2008, the partnership with the RSPB has helped to plant 150,000 trees, improve 85,000 acres of land and, most importantly, create new homes for grouse, Scotland’s National Bird.

The limited-edition wrap has been designed by Edinburgh-based artist and animator Nuria Boj, whose works combine dense, highly detailed compositions with vibrant colours, dimension and movement. Taking inspiration from the iconic illustration by Phillipa Gloag, daughter of The Famous Grouse founder Matthew Gloag who drew the very first Grouse-named Gilbert- which adorns every bottle to this day, Boj has re-imagined the bottle design in her signature vibrant style whilst still incorporating The Famous Grouse logo, the landscape from Abernethy (home of the Grouse) and Gilbert, who features on every bottle.

For 15 years, The Famous Grouse has partnered with the RSPB to protect grouse habitats all over the UK. This limited-edition release tells a story of shared values, environmental stewardship, and a dedication to protecting our feathered friends, but most hunted bird.

Commemorating the commitment to wildlife conservation, the back label proudly displays the RSPB logo alongside a heartfelt copy underlining the 15-year collaboration. It also features a QR code offering an interactive experience for drinkers to learn more about The Famous Grouse-RSPB partnership. By scanning the code, enthusiasts can delve into the rich history and shared initiatives that have marked this decade-and-a-half-long commitment.

The bottle marks the first limited-edition wrap created with the RSPB and artist collaboration for the brand as The Famous Grouse seeks to warm the hearts of existing consumers while recruiting new consumers into the category. This is further supported with the new Berry Forager serve suggestion, inspired by the Scottish countryside. Consumers can visit their site to find out more about the RSPB partnership, Nuria Boj, and the sleeve recycling recommendations.

The collaboration between the RSPB and The Famous Grouse is one that marks 15 years of shared dedication to wildlife conservation in Scotland. Launching this limited-edition bottle commemorates a truly momentous milestone aimed at captivating the interest of whisky and wildlife enthusiasts alike and show pride in contributing to the ongoing support for a worthy cause held close to their hearts.

RSPB has worked with The Famous Grouse for over 15 years to protect species and habitats across the UK. This partnership focusses on restoring nature in the heart of the Cairngorms from the forest floor to the moorland tops and will benefit a wide range of wildlife including Black Grouse, Capercaillie and invertebrates. They hope to continue working together to protect Scotland’s most important species and habitats.

                 

Each year 43 million bottles of The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky are enjoyed in no less than 94 global markets. Edrington's Annual Report for 2022-23 shows the brand at the No.1 spot in spirits sold online across all spirit categories in Scotland. But what is it that makes The Famous Grouse so popular? It is the story of six generations of Gloags, all named Matthew!

SIX GENERATIONS OF MATTHEW GLOAGS

Matthew Joseph Gloag	Matthew Gloag I	1797-1860
Matthew William Gloag	Matthew Gloag II	1820-1858
Matthew Robert Gloag	Matthew Gloag III	1850-1912
Matthew William Gloag	Matthew Gloag IV	1882-1947
Matthew Frederick Gloag	Matthew Gloag V	1910-1970
Matthew Irving Gloag	Matthew Gloag VI	1947-

In 1770, Joseph Gloag set up business as a roving Warehouse Goods Carrier, dealing with the transfer of imported duty-paid goods like wine and rare groceries from outside Scotland to dealers, shopkeepers and grocers in Perth, the county town of Perthshire. His eldest son, Matthew, was born in 1797. At the age of 18 in 1815, he was employed for a minimum of 20 years as the official manager of the Sheriff Clerk’s cellar that was used to stock and then sell off or auction seized, impounded, confiscated and expropriated liquor, mainly whisky, gin and illicit hooch.

In 1817, he married Margaret Brown, daughter of John Brown, a mason, living in a first floor self-owned flat at 22 Athole (Atholl) Street, above a grocery run by one Peter McRorie since 1807 and serviced by 'dad' Gloag. McRorie died in 1824 and his store was bought by Brown, but run by Margaret Brown Gloag. She added a winery to her grocery in 1831 and was helped in the latter trade by her husband. Matthew joined the grocery/ winery in 1835 and started to trade in blended malt whiskies. Both he and his son, also a Mathew sold only blended malts, mainly those bought from Glenlivet and Talisker.

When Matthew Gloag I died in 1860 it was found that he had little stock of malted whisky in his cellar. He did have, however, copious quantities of grain whiskies and the more expensive than whisky Very Old Rum. His most expensive alcohol was Pale 1848 Cognac. An unenterprising Mathew Gloag II preferred status quo and refused to enter the home-blending business, even though his contemporaries like Walker, Usher, Ballantine, Teacher and the Chivas Brothers were raking in money hand over fist. He, however, invested profits in the North British Grain distillery.

When this Mathew died in 1896, his son, yet another Matthew, entered the home- grown blending business with his first blended Scotch, the 5 YO Brig o’ Perth, ABV ~65%. He followed his first launch with a number of other whiskies in quick succession over three years, bracketed under Gloag's Perth Whiskies, including the 7 YO The Famous "Grouse" Blend at 40 shillings a dozen quart bottles (1.132L). Gloag’s "Grouse" Brand Whisky, launched in 1897 would soon become The Grouse, a Blended Malt directed at the blue-blooded who came annually to Scotland to shoot grouse from Aug 12 for 121 days, The Glorious Twelfth.

On the stroke of midnight of August 12, 1905, Matthew Gloag III re-branded the Gloag’s Grouse as The Grouse, taking his name off the whisky. More importantly, as time would show, the seven-year-old Famous Grouse Brand grew into the 8 YO Famous Grouse Blended Scotch. The malts available to him then (also currently available & renamed) were Aberfeldy, Glenrothes-Glenlivet, The Glenlivet, Glengoyne, Tamdhu-Glenlivet, Macallan-Glenlivet and Talisker, plus grain whisky from the North British Grain whisky distillery.

The Grouse family of whiskies weathered the storm of WW I, US Prohibition and WW II under successive Matthew Gloags. By the 1960s, the business had grown to such an extent that exports to America alone had risen to 12 million proof gallons. By 1968 it had risen to 33m. The future was looking rosy for Matthew Gloag V & Sons.

Tragedy struck in 1970. Matthew Gloag V and his wife died within two days of each other. Matthew Irving Gloag (Matthew Gloag VI, 1947-present) ran into unforeseen financial distress facing exorbitant Estate Duties and was forced to sell the company to Highland Distillers (for £1.25m), although he remained as a Director to continue the family’s involvement.

                                 

In 1979, the company breached the one million cases sales mark. By 1980 The Famous Grouse became Scotland’s brand leader and still is, a remarkable four decades later; it was awarded a Royal Warrant by Queen Elizabeth II in 1984. A new record was set in 1989, with over two million cases shipped. Sales continued to rise, and during the 1990s, The Famous Grouse grew by a staggering 25% – twice the rate of the premium Scotch sector.

When Under Highland Distillers, The Famous Grouse released a series of 12-year-old Vintage Blended Malt Whiskies starting 1998. Highland Distillers was then fully absorbed into the Edrington Group in November 1999. After taking over, Edrington's Board allowed the releases of the Blended Malt Whiskies, but changed focus to Blended Scotch. Numerous successful expressions were launched since, all the while retaining top spot in Scotland.

The pace of premiumisation was stepped up in its unrelenting bid to give the brand a renewed thrust. There was an urgent necessity to do so, as brand sales were flattening, losing out to the onslaught of single malts. Its pole position in Scotland, however, remains unchallenged, while achieving its highest-ever market share in the UK. It is also the market leader in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Cyprus. Its progress outside the EU/Europe and the USA seems to lack the same intensity.

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