Ian Macleod Distillers

Leonard Russell Senior founded his own whisky broking business in 1936, selling whisky stock between firms.^1,2,3 He died in 1956, the year his son Peter joined the firm.^1,2,7 In March 1963 the family's firm, Peter J. Russell & Co. Ltd, bought Ian Macleod & Co Ltd, with Peter Russell as managing director.^1,2,3 In May 1963 the firm bought the Isle of Skye blended Scotch whisky brand.^1,3 Peter's younger brother David joined in January 1964 and retired in 2000.¹

In March 1968 the firm bought the King Robert II range of spirits.^1,3 In May 1984 it set up Broxburn Bottlers, a shared bottling business, with J & G Grant of Glenfarclas; each held half.^1,2,8 Leonard Russell, Peter's son, joined in January 1989 as business development manager.^1,7 In September 1998 the firm bought the Hedges & Butler blended Scotch brand.^3,9 In February 2000 Peter became chairman and Leonard became managing director.^1,7

In April 2003 it bought Glengoyne distillery at Dumgoyne, with the Langs blended whisky brand, from the Edrington Group for £7.2 million.^2,4 Ian Macleod & Co Ltd then became Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd, and on 20 January 2004 Peter J. Russell & Co. Ltd took the name Ian Macleod Distillers Limited.^1,3,10 In January 2006 it launched Smokehead, an Islay single malt that does not name its distillery.^1,2,3 In June 2011 it bought Tamdhu, a mothballed Speyside distillery (closed but kept ready to restart), from the Edrington Group, to support its blends.^1,5,11 Production restarted at Tamdhu in 2012.^2,12

In September 2016 the firm bought the Spencerfield Spirit Company, adding the Pig's Nose, Sheep Dip and The Feathery whiskies.^1,2,13 In October 2017 it bought the Rosebank trademark and casks from Diageo, and the site of the Falkirk distillery, closed since 1993, from Scottish Canals.^1,3,14 In July 2023 Rosebank made spirit again.^3,15,16 Laggan Bay, which the firm built on Islay with The Islay Boys after planning approval in August 2022, filled its first cask on 2 April 2026.^6,17,18