A rum distillery from the isle of Rum has announced its plans to close.
Askival’s owners cited that there are “a variety of reasons” for the closure, including increasing costs and the aftermath of Covid-19.
As a result, the company says it is “too difficult” to continue the business in its current form.
Now they are readying to sell what will be the last-ever batch of Askival before closing their doors for good.
How Askival came to be
In a public statement, Askival said their story started five years ago with “the seemingly obvious concept” that there should be a rum from Rùm.
Fergus McGowan, Josh Kerr and Ali Gray were sailing around the west coast of Scotland on a yachting trip when the idea emerged.
Fergus, Josh and Ali would then team up with Scottish chef Craig Grozier to make the dream a reality.
Craig was tasked to create the rum’s recipe based on Rùm’s natural flavours in local flora and fauna.
Impressively, Craig was able to do this despite not being able to reach the island due to the pandemic.
What emerged was a flavour-fusion between the spice and warmth of the imported Caribbean rum and freshness from the isle’s natural botanics.
Specifically, Rùm brought the addition of meadowsweet, roasted kelp and spruce to the table – or glass.
The rum would make it to the market in late 2020.
Can Rùm’s iconic distillery be saved?
Askival’s team say that they very much still believe in the product and the brand.
A statement said: “We had hoped we could hand this over to someone who has a passion for the project like we do.”
“But so far we haven’t found the right fit, and so this could be the last ever rum from Rùm.
“We have met some amazing people, accumulated enough hilarious stories to last a lifetime and ultimately produced a brand and product that exceeded all our expectations.”
However, Askival still holds out hope that rum’s legacy can be continued in some way.
It is still open to passing on the brand to the right candidate. If you wish to express your interest then you can do so by reaching out to info@askivalrum.com
Askival would also like to thank everyone who helped along the way.
“From the locals to welcoming us on the island, our backers in the Crowdfunder and, of course, all of you for buying our rum and following our story.”
If you are interested in purchasing some of Askival’s final batch you can do so on their online store.
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