Berry Bros adds British rum Scratch to portfolio

By Lisa Riley

Published: 12 April, 2021

Berry Bros & Rudd has added Patience aged rum from Hertfordshire distillery Scratch to its portfolio, marking the merchant’s first British rum listing.

Made from scratch in this country, the brand is the brainchild of founder Doug Miller who spent years perfecting the distilling process to suit the UK climate and his palate to create a “new and recognisably” British style.

“As custodian of the spirits range for Britain’s finest family-owned wine and spirits merchant, I am eternally seeking distillers who are not only capable of producing the highest quality drinks, but doing so in the right way, and for the right reasons,” said Rob Whitehead, spirits buyer for Berry Bros & Rudd.

“Doug Miller and his team at Scratch are assuredly worthy of their place amongst the pantheon of remarkable rum producers we have welcomed over the centuries,” he said.

Miller added: ’Berry Bros & Rudd’s confidence in the burgeoning British rum sector shows that in the next 5-10 years, British rum, as a style, can rival many of the best rums from the Caribbean’. ’It is a vindication of the path we set out on when we started back in 2015.”

At the same time, Scratch have appointed specialist spirit distributor Oak & Still, the recently launched sales and marketing arm of family-owned Fine Wine Sellers, to handle sales to both the on-trade and retail sectors.

“The appointment of Oak & Still is a logical ‘fit’ of like-minded people,” said Miller.

“We are both independent family-owned businesses, with a passion for the premium drinks industry. This marks the next step in developing Scratch in the marketplace.”

Luke Brown, Oak & Still sales director, added: “This is a very exciting time for the rum category, and also British drinks products. Put the two together, with Doug’s unique twist, and we believe we have a winning brand here. There are already some big on and off trade accounts in the pipeline such as Master of Malt.”

Until now, Scratch has mainly been available via the distillery’s website and independent retailers.