North British was founded in 1885 by well-known blenders Andrew Usher, William Sanderson and John Crabbie. Seeking greater independence from a dominant supplier, they joined forces to build their own grain distillery in Edinburgh. Production began in September 1887, after which North British operated as a cooperative for several whisky houses for around a century.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the distillery played an important role in the recognition of grain whisky. Opponents argued that only spirit made from malted barley in copper pot stills should be called whisky, but in 1908 the law confirmed that grain whisky was also entitled to the name. This helped establish an important foundation for the growth of blended Scotch whisky.

North British is one of Scotland’s largest grain distilleries. Its spirit is continuously distilled in patent stills and is mainly intended for blends. The use of maize is particularly distinctive, creating a sweeter, fuller and lightly buttery style. As a single grain, North British is mainly released by independent bottlers, often showing vanilla, caramel, coconut and refined oak.

Berry Bros. & Rudd is one of Britain’s oldest and most distinguished wine and spirits merchants. Its history began in 1698, when the Widow Bourne opened a grocery shop on St James’s Street in London. During the nineteenth century, the company increasingly focused on wine and spirits, while the Berry name became permanently associated with the business. The Rudd family joined in the twentieth century.

Berry Bros. & Rudd also has an exceptionally long heritage in whisky. Its oldest known own-label cask bottling dates from 1853, making the company one of Britain’s oldest independent bottlers. In 1923, Francis Berry and Hugh Rudd also created Cutty Sark, a lighter blended Scotch that achieved considerable international success.

The Berry Bros. & Rudd Own Selection range includes carefully selected single cask whiskies, blended malts and house bottlings from Scotland and other whisky-producing countries. The emphasis is on provenance, cask character and drinkability. With centuries of trading expertise and close relationships with producers, Berry Bros. & Rudd is known for dependable, classically styled selections and distinctive whiskies for experienced enthusiasts.