Angus sustainable distillery Arbikie has signed a deal to stock Toronto retailer LCBO with its Tattie Bogle Vodka.
The family-owned producer's agreement with Canadian importer SGWS is its first deal in Ontario.
Arbikie uses Maris Piper, King Edward and Cultra varieties grown on the family farm between Arbroath and Montrose to make what it believes is Scotland’s first potato vodka.
Named after the ‘Tattie Bogle’ scarecrows that once stood over potato fields, it has been ranked as "one of the world’s best vodkas" by GQ magazine.
Arbikie master distiller Kirsty Black said: “The flavour profile of our vodkas is determined by the ingredients grown on the farm. With ‘Tattie Bogle’ there are clear spice notes and creaminess in flavour. We don’t bolt on the flavour in our spirits, the flavour is determined by the crops grown on the farm.”
Arbikie is owned by the Stirling family, who have been farming since before 1660 and adopt the field-to-bottle approach of growing, distilling and bottling their product at the Arbikie Farm Distillery. Spirits include 'climate positive' gin Nadar and Highland Rye whisky.
Director John Stirling said: “We are delighted to have agreed this landmark distribution deal. Our aim has always been to disrupt the vodka market by highlighting the importance of our base ingredients and how these impact on the flavour profile.
“By highlighting the field and potato variety used in each batch of ‘Tattie Bogle’, we are giving the opportunity for consumers to trace the ingredients in our spirits. Our philosophy has always been about sustainability, innovation and quality, and our global consumers are very much buying into the opportunity to trace the ingredients in their spirits.
“The growing desire for provenance and traceability of ingredients is very now and this latest deal reflects this trend. We will soon open our Arbikie Distillery Brand Experience, where we can literally show you the field the ingredients are grown in, another reason to visit Angus, an area that is considered by many to be the birthplace of Scotland.”
