Berry Bros. & Rudd acquires minority stake in The Cotswolds Distillery

Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd, has purchased a minority stake in The Cotswolds Distillery, Stourton.

This comes as part of the distillery’s ‘Cotswolds 2.0’ funding round, which has attracted private investors to help boost production and sales of its Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky.

Money will also go towards the establishment of a bio-diverse wetlands ecological treatment system, along with the necessary landscaping work, as part of the company’s ambitious sustainability plans.

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Bristol’s Osborne Clarke advised The Cotswolds Distillery on the deal, which sees Berry Bros. & Rudd CEO Emma Fox take a position on the board. The firm’s corporate team was led by Associate Director James Taylor, who received support from Senior Associate Hannah Stevens and Associate Liam O'Connor.

Cotswolds Distillery Founder Daniel Szor said: “We could not be more delighted with the results of our funding round – in particular, our new partnership with Berry Brothers who, like us, stand for excellence in fine spirits – as we further build our brand through increased national and international distribution.

“It was great to work with James, Hannah and the rest of the Osborne Clarke team once again, and their expertise, diligence and support made for a smooth transaction process.”

The company recently opened a second distillery on its 14-acre Warwickshire site specifically for malt whisky. This was made possible by a £3 million investment last year from Santander UK, which allowed the distillery to improve operation efficiency and bolster its status as the largest producer of English Whisky.

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