A new owner has taken over production of Aberdeenshire’s Dark Matter rum after the company went into liquidation.
The popular spirit is now being made at Banchory’s Burnobennie Distillery after the brand was bought by Ardent Spirits.
Dark Matter Distillers was Aberdeenshire’s first rum distillery when it launched in 2015.
It was known for its award-winning, signature spiced rum, white rum and flavoured rum liqueurs.
However, it went in to liquidation in September before being saved a month later by Ardent Spirits.
‘Compelled to rescue the brand’
Production is carried out at Burnobennie Distillery making sure the brand can continue its Banchory roots.
Simon Morrice, Burnobennie Distillery distribution manager, said Ardent Spirits “felt compelled” to rescue the brand.
He said: “When we heard Dark Matter was liquidation we tried to help but it was to late. The company was past saving.
“We felt compelled to rescue the brand.
“Up until about two months ago it was in every supermarket on every shelf, on Amazon and it had a big following.
“It was too good an opportunity at the time to let it slip in to the ether. There was nobody willing to buy the brand. It would’ve disappeared.
“It’s steeped in such history, particularly for Banchory, being the first rum distillery in Scotland, this combined with strong brand presence, we couldn’t let the brand disappear.”
Big public support
Mike Roberts, Dark Matter head distiller, is now working for Burnobennie Distillery and another job was created.
Simon said: “The business was running at skeleton by the end, but luckily head distiller Mike Roberts was able to be rescued and we created another role to head up the operation.
“Having already distilled and produced rum, our infrastructure is already in place, as a business we will continue to invest and get Dark Matter to the heights of the past.
“Dark Matter will stand alone but its new home is at Burnobennie.”
The focus is currently on Dark Matter spiced but a coffee liqueur is also in the making.
Simon said: “The gap in between liquidation and activity is a vulnerable point for anything and people when they can’t get it they move on to another type of rum.
“My job has been to remind people that we are coming back.
“Since people have found out we have been swamped with encouraging messages and people desperate to know when, where and how to get it. It’s been great.”
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