🥃 Cutty Sark
Scottish blended whisky created in 1923 by Berry Bros. & Rudd; named after a tea clipper; owned by La Martiniquaise-Bardinet since 2018.
Cutty Sark is a Scottish blended whisky that the partners of the London firm Berry Bros. & Rudd decided to create on 23 March 1923. The name comes from the famous British tea clipper that had recently arrived in London. It is a pale, light blend, and since 2018 the brand has belonged to the French group La Martiniquaise-Bardinet.
History. According to Whiskypedia, Cutty Sark was created for the American consumer during Prohibition, and the USA was the key market. In 1961 it became the first Scotch to sell over a million cases in the USA. Berry Bros. & Rudd owned the brand until 2010, after which Edrington held it. On 28 November 2018 its sale was announced to La Martiniquaise-Bardinet, the owner of Glen Moray; the sum was not disclosed.
How it is made. The base is grain whisky from North British and Invergordon, to which about 40 single malts are added, among them Highland Park, Glenrothes, Macallan and Bunnahabhain. For a transitional period Edrington kept blending and bottling.
Why this matters to you. Old reference information still names Edrington as the owner, but the current owner is La Martiniquaise-Bardinet. This is a blend, not a single malt; the pale colour and light taste are a style, not a sign of a weaker drink: the strength is not below 40% ABV. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 23 March 1923, Berry Bros. & Rudd (London) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Blended Scotch Whisky) |
| EU category | 2 - whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
| Raw material | grain whisky from North British and Invergordon; about 40 single malts |
| Cask type | oak casks; the type is not specified in our sources |
| Minimum maturation | from 3 years in oak by law; no age statement |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 40% ABV by law |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Cutty Sark → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 British
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Blended Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 Western Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Johnnie Walker, 🥃 Chivas Regal, 🥃 The Famous Grouse, 🥃 The Famous Grouse, 🥃 Johnnie Walker, 🥃 Haig, 🥃 Ballantine's, 🥃 Ballantine's, 🥃 Caol Ila, 🥃 Caol Ila
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Cutty Sark still belongs to Edrington?
No. Edrington sold the brand in 2018 to the French group La Martiniquaise-Bardinet, which also owns Glen Moray.
What does the name Cutty Sark mean?
It is the name of a famous British tea clipper that had recently arrived in London, not a nickname of a person.
When was Cutty Sark created?
The partners of Berry Bros. & Rudd decided to create the brand on 23 March 1923.
What is the blend made of?
Mainly grain whisky from North British and Invergordon with about 40 single malts.
Why is the brand popular in the USA?
It was created specifically for the American market, and in 1961 it was the first Scotch to sell more than a million cases there.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky — Scotch from a single distillery: only malted barley, water and copper pot stills; at least 3 years in oak, 40% vol. or more.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
Similar
🥃 The Famous Grouse · 🥃 Black & White · 🥃 Vat 69 · 🥃 Dailuaine · 🥃 Loch Lomond Distillery · 🥃 Glen Ord
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: definition and categories of Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Cutty Sark (Berry Bros. & Rudd, 23.03.1923, composition, 1961 US record)
- Scotchwhisky.com: Cutty Sark sold to Glen Moray owner (28.11.2018; La Martiniquaise-Bardinet)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)