A Scottish drinks maker has announced plans for a new distillery as it launches its first “age-statement” whisky.

The new eight-year-old, 1,500-bottle release comes ahead of plans to build a new “urban distillery”.

Glasgow-based Courageous Spirits hailed the launch of its King’s Inch 8 Year Old, which it described as the “ultimate example of a Bourbon and Sherry cask vatting crafted specifically to be bottled at a younger age statement”.

The firm also announced the official opening of the new Courageous Spirits premises based on 121 Lancefield Street, Glasgow, where the company wants to bring everything under one roof, and added: “The new eight-year-old release from King’s Inch is a project Courageous Spirits are taking on before they hope to build their very own urban distillery, with plans aiming to be announced later in 2024.”

Sited “on the edge of Finnieston’s hub of culture and creativity”, the new base currently offers third party services, aiming to bring dry goods storage, bonded storage, bottling and distribution all under one roof, “significantly reducing road miles and associated carbon”. 

The new whisky. The firm hopes to launch its urban distillery plans later in 2024The new whisky. The firm hopes to launch its urban distillery plans later in 2024 (Image: Courageous Spirits)

Andy McGeoch, managing director and founder of Courageous Spirits, said: “We’ve always known King’s Inch is special since its launch in 2021.

“The awards and customer feedback gave us real confidence in the spirit. We’re now at a point where we can experiment with casks and see how the spirit reacts. That to us, is a really exciting prospect - one that will continue to bring the best out of our King’s Inch spirit. We really look forward to hearing feedback from our customers, good or bad!” 

“At Courageous Spirits, our team really takes pride in our work, and pride for our city. Our brands continue to go from strength to strength and to have our new premises bring everything under one roof, makes our future very promising as we expand the vision of Courageous Spirits.” 

Home to both the award-winning Glaswegin and King's Inch Single Malt Whisky brands, Courageous Spirits is planning to further break into global markets, "targeting international territories such as Hong Kong, Myanmar, India and currently recruiting distributors across the globe", it said, adding that “Courageous Spirits aims to produce world-class liquid in outstanding packaging from Glasgow to the world”.


Firm plans hiring spree in Scotland to meet delivery boom

 

Evri is planning to hire 9,000 more staff as it prepares to deliver more parcels after agreeing to be bought by new owners in a deal worth £2.7 billion.

The company said it was embarking on a recruitment drive to grow its team of couriers and in its warehouses. Scotland has been selected as a key area for hiring in a bid to meet swelling demand for deliveries. Evri said the number of parcels being delivered was now higher than during the pandemic years, when lockdowns and the shift to remote working caused home deliveries to boom.


CIO Investment Insights Q3 2024: High Rates, High Stakes

 

This article appears as part of the Money HQ newsletter.

Despite the election outcome offering more clarity on the UK’s political direction, economic challenges remain. Interest rates are going to stay in the spotlight, and that will impact on how we all plan our investments moving forward.

Current expectations suggest a fall in interest rates towards the end of the year. But even if rates come down, they are unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels.

As we chart a course through this ‘higher-for-longer’ era, our priority remains clear: to manage the impacts thoughtfully and strategically, ensuring that your investments are well-positioned for both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.