Earlier this week, news broke that spirits producer Eden Mill had entered administration. The St Andrews based distillery has produced a number award winning whiskies and gins, and opened their new multi-million pound distillery and visitor centre last month.
While opening the new site was a worthy cause for celebration, the opening was delayed by 12 months. Consequently the business experienced significant cashflow difficulties.
When combined with external factors - namely the reduced demand for spirits globally - Eden Mill were forced to enter administration. Kenny Craig and Kevin Mapstone of Begbies Traynor were appointed joint administrators of St Andrews Brewers on 18 November 2025.
Thomas McKay, managing partner of Begbies Traynor in Scotland, said: “The whisky sector as a whole continues to have a number of challenges at this time, largely as a result of the ongoing recession in the global whisky market.
“Eden Mill experienced a drop in sales and delays in the opening of its flagship visitor centre in St Andrews, which took around 12 months longer than expected to open its doors, creating cashflow difficulties for the business.”
It has now been confirmed that equity firm Ruby Capital have acquired the business and assets of Eden Mill for an undisclosed sum. A plan has been put in place to restructure the business, but it has been said that all jobs at the distillery and visitor centre have been saved.
“With 42 jobs at risk, an accelerated sale took place to preserve value in the business and assets and to restructure the core business,” McKay explained.
The news has been welcomed by those at Eden Mill. Interim chief executive Ian McDougall said: ““We remain committed to celebrating St Andrews’ proud distilling tradition and delivering exceptional gin, whisky, and visitor experiences.
“We’re delighted Ruby Capital has stepped in to secure our future, and there will be no immediate changes for employees, customers, or suppliers.”
Ruby Capital founder Tony Banks commented: “I’m delighted that Eden Mill will continue to thrive as a world-class destination for visitors and a proud ambassador of Scottish craftsmanship.
“We believe strongly that a brand as iconic as Eden Mill should not be allowed to fail. It’s well-loved, high-profile, and we’re ready to grow it even further. This investment marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter.”
Eden Mill’s financial difficulties is just one of many such stories to come out of the whisky industry in the past 12-to-18 months. Indeed, it’s not even the first case to be reported this month.
Earlier in November, the news broke that independent bottler Chapter 7 had been liquidated. The intellectual property of the brand had then been purchased by a “sector specialist,” with the bottler’s future uncertain.
For more information on this story, check out our recent article ‘Chapter 7 Saved’.
