Premium spirits business and independent Scottish family distillers William Grant & Sons Holdings Ltd., New York, acquired the Drambuie Liqueur Co. Ltd., the Glasgow, Scotland-based owner of the Drambuie whisky liqueur brand.

Drambuie consists of a blend of aged Scotch whisky, spices and heather honey with a history dating back to 1745. The recipe is said to have been given to Captain MacKinnon on the Isle of Skye by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746 after his defeat at Culloden. It later rose to fame as the key ingredient of the Rusty Nail, the classic cocktail favored by the Rat Pack in the 1950s, and now joins William Grant & Sons’ premium spirits brands, including Glenfiddich and The Balvenie single-malt Scotch whiskies, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey,Grant’s blended Scotch whisky, Hendrick’s gin and Sailor Jerry spiced rum.

“We have a passion and a reputation for nurturing and building brands,” said William Grant & Sons’ Chief Executive Officer Stella David in a statement. “Drambuie is a natural fit for our portfolio. It has a very rich history and a great story to tell, and we are delighted to be in a position to start to re-engage with existing drinkers and to connect the brand with an entirely new generation of consumers.”

Drambuie’s Chief Executive Officer Michael Kennedy added in a statement: “We are pleased to complete this process with William Grant & Sons, a company who holds true those family values which will help nurture Drambuie to begin its next chapter of growth. As part of the William Grant & Sons stable of brands, we believe that Drambuie can truly achieve its potential as it will benefit from being part of a larger and more diverse organization. I look forward to working with the William Grant & Sons team as we smoothly integrate the acquisition and help realize the benefits for both companies.”

A family spokesperson for William Grant & Sons commented: "We have always been secret admirers of Drambuie. We are very grateful to the MacKinnon family for entrusting the future of this iconic brand to our family, and we will do our best to make them proud in the decades ahead."