Drambuie company comments on band sponsorship issue

The Drambuie Liqueur Company of Scotland has responded to the Piper & Drummer Online story on the recent civic reception in Edinburgh for the Drambuie-Kirkliston Pipe Band and the company’s sponsorship of the band.

In an official statement, in which it consistently referred to the group as “the Kirkliston Pipe Band,” even though the band is still officially under Drambuie’s sponsorship until the end of 2005, the company’s Director of Brand Heritage, Jonathan Brown, says, “Long-term sponsors are not easy to attract and I would doubt that many bands are able to keep this level of support over such a long period. Drambuie would have been delighted to have been represented at the civic reception in Edinburgh this month, but no one from the company was formally invited.”

Brown goes on to say, “With our support the band has developed and achieved tremendous success in competitions. The members have been wonderful ambassadors for Drambuie and we wish them every success, both in securing future sponsorship and in competitions.”

Pipe-Major Ian Duncan is actively seeking a sponsor for one of the world’s most high-profile bands.

“The Drambuie sponsorship is now in the past,” Duncan says. “The band appreciates Drambuie’s support and accepts that the company has had to reduce its sponsorship budgets. We have our eyes firmly fixed on a very bright future.”

The Drambuie company also stressed that reports that it had sold the recipe for Drambuie liqueur are incorrect. “To suggest that the secret recipe is being sold is nonsensical,” the company says.

Drambuie-Kirkliston won the Grade 2 event at the 2005 World Pipe Band Championships, the 2005 RSPBA Champion of Champions award, and was officially promoted to Grade 1 in October.

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