CVH Spirits brings premium Scotch portfolio back to South Africa

CVH Spirits, the South African independent Scottish spirits business behind Bunnahabhain, Deanston, Tobermory and Ledaig single malt Scotch whiskies, is re-establishing its presence in South Africa, marking the next phase of the company's international growth strategy following its separation from the former Distell group.

Majority-owned by South African investment group Remgro, CVH Spirits was established as an independent business in 2023 following Heineken's acquisition of Distell, with the Scotch whisky assets formerly operated by Distell International becoming part of the newly independent company. The company has since sharpened its focus on its premium spirits portfolio, expanding its international commercial footprint.

For South Africa, the return comes at a time when, although the whisky market is under pressure at volume level, the higher end of the category is proving more resilient. Recent market data shows the Deluxe whisky segment, priced at R2,000 and above, grew by 19%, while the Super Premium segment recorded growth of 2% over the same period.

Against this backdrop, CVH Spirits sees an opportunity for a portfolio built around credentials and differentiated single malt propositions rather than volume-driven distribution.

“We have deliberately taken the time to establish the right structure for our international business rather than simply putting the brands back into market,” says Ronan O’Rahilly, CEO of CVH Spirits. “Our approach is about building the brands for the long term, ensuring we have the right partners, the right positioning and the right level of support behind them.”

“South Africa is an important market for us, given our history here and the opportunity we see for premium Scotch whisky,” says O’Rahilly. “Since becoming independent, we have had the opportunity to be much more focused on where and how we take our brands to market. We can be more agile, make decisions more quickly and invest behind the markets where we see long-term potential.”

That independence is supported by CVH’s control of its production capabilities, spanning distillation, maturation, blending, bottling and distribution at the three distilleries. The business has also invested significantly in strengthening its operational and commercial infrastructure, including close to £30 million in its East Kilbride production, blending, bottling and warehousing operations over the past five to six years.

The South African portfolio brings together four single malt brands from three Scottish distilleries, each with a distinctly different production heritage and flavour profile.

Bunnahabhain, established on Islay in 1881, occupies a distinctive position within the island's single malt landscape. Rather than the heavily peated style associated with many Islay whiskies, Bunnahabhain is known for its unpeated, sherry-influenced character,

Deanston, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026, was established in a former cotton mill beside the River Teith. Its single malts are characterised by a honeyed, waxy house style, while the distillery has increasingly explored innovative cask finishes and limited releases.

On the Isle of Mull, Tobermory and Ledaig offer two markedly different interpretations from the same distillery. Tobermory is the unpeated expression, known for its fruity and vibrant character, while Ledaig is the distillery's heavily peated, smoky single malt. The distillery dates back to 1798 and is the only distillery on Mull.

“The strength of the portfolio is the fact that these are not four versions of the same whisky,” says O’Rahilly. “They each have a very clear point of difference, with their own heritage, production methods and character. That allows us to build genuine brand equity rather than simply competing on price.”

The return to South Africa forms part of CVH Spirits' broader strategy to develop international markets for its portfolio following its transition to independence. The business currently operates across more than 60 global markets and is majority held by Remgro, with Campari holding a minority stake.

For CVH Spirits, the focus is on building sustainable routes to market and strengthening the long-term value of its brands.

“We are not looking for transactional relationships,” says O’Rahilly. “We are looking to build over time, strengthening distribution and shoring up brand equity for the next generation. South Africa is part of that longer-term ambition.”