Shake-up and £25 million sales goal for whisky venture behind Raasay and Kintyre distilleries

R&B Distillers said the changes to its senior executive team would see William Dobbie become managing director, while his father Bill switches to the role of chairman at the company he co-founded with Alasdair Day in 2014.

The venture owns the Isle of Raasay Distillery, which opened its doors in 2017, and plans to launch the Machrihanish Distillery near Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre over the next 12-18 months, which would mark the first new farm distillery in the region in more than 180 years. There are also longer term plans for The Duke Street Distillery at Coldstream in the Scottish Borders.

R&B reported revenue of £5m in the year ended December 31, 2023, and now sells in 40 markets worldwide after launching the Isle of Raasay Gin in mid-2019 and the Isle of Raasay Single Malt at the end of 2020. The company has set its sights on growing sales to more than £25m in the next decade.

Bill Dobbie said: “William has helped drive double-digit revenue growth at over 20 per cent per annum during his four years as commercial director, and R&B’s board was unanimous in its decision to give him the opportunity to lead the company’s next phase of growth. We have continued to see solid growth in the UK and internationally over the last few years, including during what was a challenging year for the industry in 2023, and are excited by our prospects to build sales in existing and new markets over the next decade.”

R&B Distillers is owned by Dobbie’s Chanrossa Group, a Scotland-headquartered scale-up with a portfolio that includes spirits, drinks, beauty and wellness brands. The drinks business includes stakes in the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Caskshare.com, Waterford Distillery and Renegade Rum Distillery.

William Dobbie added: “While the high end of the whisky market has come under pressure over the last year, we have managed to significantly increase sales, grow a loyal customer base and brand in the face of industry headwinds.”