A whisky start-up aims to shake up the world of blended expressions of Scotland’s national drink.
The five-strong founding team of Duncan McRae, Peter Allison, Ed Harvey-Jamieson, Alastair Fiddes and Holyrood Distillery managing director Nick Ravenhall, have launched Woven in an attempt to “redefine” the category.
They say they want to “explode outdated, Draconian perceptions” about what blended whisky is, and instead ask the question “what can blended whisky be?”.
Working from their independent blending “studio” in Leith, Edinburgh, they are urging customers to buy their products as an investment – “not for financial gain, but for the memories you make and the relationships you build with those you enjoy a dram with”.
A statement released on behalf of all five founders, who boast whisky industry and finance backgrounds, said: “The concept of blending isn’t broken, but the status quo within the category leaves much to be desired.
“Our philosophy owes as much to the ideas and practices from Japanese whiskey as Scotch. Despite hailing from the historic epicentre of Scotland’s whisky industry, we are part of the new world whisky movement.
“We want Woven to be a relatable platform that weaves into the fabric of modern Scotland and breeds a culture of collaboration. We take our inspiration from, and wish to act as a platform for, the incredible melting pot of creativity that is shaping Scotland today.”
Global expansion plans
While its first collection – on sale via the firm’s website – is comprised entirely of Scotch, Woven has set its sights on global expansion and plans to replicate its blending studio in other major cities around the world.
The launch statement added: “We plan to change the model of simply exporting our products and telling the world Scotch is better. By creating satellite blending studios with associated experiential appeal, we’ll create local blends with local people,”
Woven’s first collection features four limited-edition expressions – Levels, The Smiling Whisky, Modern Nostalgia and Slow Motion.
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