The Strathearn takeover marks the first distillery in the Douglas Laing portfolio, while plans for the firm’s distillery project in Glasgow are still underway.

The Perthshire-based Strathearn Distillery began production in 2013 and the multi-functional site offers distillation, warehousing and bottling.

Cara Laing,  director of whisky, said: “Twenty nineteen, our 71st year in business, is the year we take a monumental leap, adding ‘distiller’ to our credentials and beginning a new chapter in our journey.

"A distillery very much in its infancy, Strathearn affords us the opportunity to create an extraordinary brand home for our family business and a global single malt brand steeped in our family firm’s history, heritage and passion”.

Chris Leggat, CEO, added: “Strathearn is a wonderful addition to our portfolio. The distillery’s handcrafted and premium approach to single malt scotch whisky production is entirely aligned with our own values, with no attention to detail spared.”

The existing gin and rum brands from Strathearn will continue to be available with ownership moving to a newly established company, The Whisky Garden Ltd.