WASHINGTON, DC — Edrington, the international premium spirits company, has become the 16th member of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), the organization announced today.

Edrington’s portfolio of leading brands includes The Macallan, Brugal rum, The Famous Grouse, Cutty Sark, Highland Park and Snow Leopard vodka.

Headquartered in Scotland, Edrington is privately owned by a charitable trust, The Robertson Trust, which donated £15.3 million to charitable causes in 2012/13.

“We are very pleased to welcome Edrington and the CEO of Edrington Americas, Paul Ross, to the Board of the Distilled Spirits Council,” said DISCUS CEO Peter H. Cressy.

“Edrington has remarkable brands and a business model that is unique to the industry. It is committed to DISCUS’s values of social responsibility and responsible alcohol consumption, and we look forward to its participation in our deliberations.”

Paul Ross, CEO of Edrington Americas, said: “We are delighted to be joining the Distilled Spirits Council at a time when Edrington’s presence in the United States is expanding significantly. I look forward to working with the DISCUS Board and continuing to build on our shared commitment to social responsibility.”

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Notes to editors:

The Distilled Spirits Council is the national trade association representing America’s leading distillers and the vast majority of premium distilled spirits brands sold in this country. Since 1935, the Council and its predecessor organizations have served as the industry’s voice on public policy and legislative issues in the nation’s capital, state capitals and foreign capitals worldwide. A strong commitment to responsibility is the foundation of every aspect of its policy and programs.  For more information, visit: www.distilledspirits.org.

The origins of Edrington stretch back to the mid-nineteenth century, when William Robertson founded the Robertson & Baxter company in Glasgow. The Robertson family also founded Highland Distillers in 1887, and in 1999, Edrington acquired Highland along with its iconic brands The Famous Grouse, The Macallan and Highland Park. In 2008, the company acquired Brugal, the leading rum in the Dominican Republic. In April 2010, Edrington acquired the Cutty Sark brand from Berry Bros & Rudd.

The Robertson Trust was established by three sisters in 1961 to ensure the long term independence of their interests, protect the welfare of their employees and to continue their tradition of charitable giving. They donated their substantial combined business interests to the Trust, which was formed for that purpose.

Today, the Trust is the largest independent grant-making trust in Scotland. The majority of its income is derived from Edrington dividends. Last year The Robertson Trust awarded £15.3m to charities. Since its inception in 1961 the Trust has given more than £125m. As the company’s international footprint has grown, Edrington has extended its ethos of charitable giving to international markets, establishing a series of initiatives that enable Edrington’s employees to donate a share of the company’s profits to good causes in their countries.

Edrington Americas is headquartered in New York, NY with regional offices in Dallas, Chicago, Miami and Orange County.
Marc Bromfeld, Edrington Americas
[email protected]
Office: 212-352-6040
Cell: 973-271-1874