Global drinks business International Beverage announced on Wednesday ( September 13) that it had acquired Cardrona Distillery.

The acquisition includes the Cardrona Distillery and visitor centre plus Cardrona’s portfolio of super-premium brands including Cardrona single malt whisky, The Reid Vodka, The Source Gin and the Rose Rabbit liqueurs.

“This is a momentous day for our business,” Cardrona Distillery founder Desiree Reid said.

“On behalf of myself and the whole team, I am delighted to welcome International Beverage as the new owner of the Cardrona Distillery.”

International Beverage said in a statement that it will focus on investment in the purpose-built distillery site to maximise the potential of Cardrona’s brands in the core New Zealand, UK and USA markets. 

They will also deploy International Beverage’s global network to build select new routes to market.

Desiree will remain with the company in the role of managing director. She said Cardrona Distillery had been looking for an investor to support the company's international growth for some time.

“We found that partner in International Beverage, a world-class group of spirits businesses who own some of the whisky distilleries we most admire including Pulteney, Speyburn, Knockdhu and Balblair,” she said.

“It has been a 12-year journey to reach this point, and we are so proud of the great whisky foundation laid in the Cardrona Valley.”

International Beverage managing director Malcolm Leask said he was delighted to have the Cardrona team join the business.

“The team has done an excellent job in building Cardrona’s super-premium brands to date with so much integrity, quality and potential for the future,” he said. 

“We are very much looking forward to working with them to build on their success within our international network, as we strengthen our premium spirits portfolio for the global market.”

Cardrona Distillery opened in December 2015.

PHOTO: Cardrona Distillery