Famous Grouse and Scottish Rugby mark 35 year partnership
William Grant & Sons-owned The Famous Grouse is marking 35 years of sponsoring Scottish Rugby with the release of a new limited edition bottle called ‘Time To Celebrate’.
The Famous Grouse, said to be the best-selling whisky in Scotland since 1980, has unveiled a commemorative edition blend that celebrates its support of Scottish Rugby – the governing body for rugby union in Scotland – for more than three decades.
The move honours the whisky brand’s longstanding commitment to sport, community and national pride, continuing a partnership that began in 1990 and remains one of the longest-running in UK sport.
The commemorative bottle design takes cues from the Scottish flag and features a rugby ball on a tee, symbolising the unity between two Scottish icons.
Karen Daly, marketing manager at The Famous Grouse, said: “For 35 years, The Famous Grouse has stood side by side with Scottish Rugby – a partnership built on pride, camaraderie and shared spirit.
“‘Time To Celebrate’ is our way of marking this enduring relationship and saying thank you to the fans who have made the journey so memorable. It’s wonderful to celebrate this longstanding collaboration in this way.”
The launch and accompanying campaign, which includes a fan prize draw, coincides with the highly anticipated 2025 Quilter Nations Series, which will see Scotland take on the USA, New Zealand, Argentina, and Tonga at Scottish Gas Murrayfield stadium in November.
Darcy Graham, Scottish Rugby international, said: “We can’t wait for the matches this autumn. Murrayfield is always so special and every opportunity to play there means a lot.
“We’re grateful for the support from The Famous Grouse. They’re a brand historically linked with Scottish Rugby and I always remember their logo being on the shirts when I was growing up.”
Olaf Gueldner, chief customer officer at Scottish Rugby, added: “Having supported the team and the game of rugby in Scotland for more than 35 years, The Famous Grouse’s ‘Time to Celebrate’ campaign feels like a fantastic way to honour that partnership. 2025 has been a year of celebrations at Scottish Gas Murrayfield as we recognise 100 years of action on our hallowed turf. All our partners share the same sense of pride for this occasion, and this activation from The Famous Grouse really shows it.
“We are so excited to welcome everyone to Scottish Gas Murrayfield for not only the game against the All Blacks, but also to the other three matches against USA, Argentina and Tonga.”
From today (28 October), fans can enter a Facebook prize draw to win a commemorative bottle and tickets to Scotland verses New Zealand at Murrayfield on Saturday 8 November.
To enter, fans must like and leave a comment on the post by The Famous Grouse on the brand’s Facebook by 3 November. The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over.
Edrington finalised the sale of The Famous Grouse and Naked Malt to William Grant & Sons this summer.
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