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Ian Macleod Distillers expands distribution partnership with Bemakers to relaunch its Scotch portfolio in Denmark
Tamdhu, Glengoyne, Rosebank and Smokehead join Isle of Skye, Macleod's and Pig's Nose as IMD deepens its presence in the Danish market
Copenhagen, [October] 2026 – Ian Macleod Distillers (IMD), the independent, family-owned Scotch whisky company, is expanding its distribution partnership with Bemakers in Denmark. Building on the established collaboration around Isle of Skye, Macleod's and Pig's Nose, IMD brings Tamdhu, Glengoyne, Rosebank and Smokehead to the Danish market through Bemakers' direct distribution model as of 1 October 2026.
Relaunching a house of brands in Denmark
The expansion will take the form of a relaunch of the IMD portfolio in Denmark, focused on building brand and product awareness among consumers and across the country's well-established off-trade channel. With the wider product range in one place, IMD and Bemakers can present the portfolio as a whole rather than as individual products.
IMD is a house of brands and a house of history: a family business for more than nine decades, with distilleries whose roots go back to the 19th century. The relaunch is designed to unfold that heritage for Danish consumers and trade partners.
The right approach for Denmark
In a direct distribution model, the brand owner keeps ownership of its products all the way into the market and sells to retailers and consumers itself, rather than selling them on to a traditional importer or distributor. A direct distribution partner like Bemakers handles the operational side of being in the market, so the brand owner stays close to its customers without building a local organisation.
IMD has chosen the direct distribution route for Denmark because of the market's profile: a well-developed off-trade channel, a strong community of specialist whisky retailers and consumers with a strong appetite for premium and collectable Scotch.
“Denmark is an exciting market for our portfolio, with a strong whisky culture and a real appreciation for premium Scotch”, says Robert Carmichael, Head of Europe, Ian Macleod Distillers.
“Having worked with Bemakers for some time, we’ve seen first-hand the benefits of their model. It gives us the flexibility to get closer to our customers, build stronger relationships with the trade and take a more hands-on approach to developing our brands. We’re looking forward to building on that partnership and bringing renewed focus and investment to Denmark.”
In short, the direct distribution model gives IMD first-hand insight into how its brands perform with Danish retailers and consumers, and the ability to steer range, pricing and stock allocation, including for limited releases, as the relaunch builds momentum. It also asks more of IMD's own organisation, from investing in brand awareness and demand to taking a more active role in day-to-day commercial decisions.
“What’s particularly exciting is the opportunity to build our brands from the ground up, working closely with specialist retailers, bars and whisky enthusiasts," Carmichael adds. "Bemakers are very much an extension of our team, and we’re looking forward to what we can achieve together.”
Infrastructure built for brand owners at scale
Bemakers' starting point is that each brand owner should decide how best to go to market. That can mean going fully direct, as IMD is in Denmark, or a hybrid model where, for example, on-trade is served through a traditional distributor while off-trade and D2C run direct, and the choice can be made product by product as well as market by market.
"We are proud, and genuinely humbled, that Ian Macleod Distillers has chosen to deepen our work together in Denmark," says Morten Stengaard, CEO and co-founder of Bemakers. "We go all in with the brands we work with, go the extra mile, and build from the bottom up together with the brand owner, store by store and consumer by consumer.
"IMD's portfolio fits the Danish market exceptionally well, and the wider range lets us take consumers on a real journey, from the mild and blended to the highly peated and the truly collectable whiskies. We look forward to continuing building IMD's brands in Denmark together."
About Ian Macleod Distillers
Ian Macleod Distillers is an independent, family-owned Scotch whisky and spirits company based in Broxburn, Scotland. Established in 1933 and owned by the Russell family, IMD owns the Glengoyne, Tamdhu and Rosebank single malt distilleries and Edinburgh Gin. Its portfolio also includes Smokehead, Isle of Skye, Macleod's and Pig's Nose. www.ianmacleod.com
About Bemakers
Bemakers is a technology-enabled European beverage distribution and D2C fulfilment platform, headquartered in Copenhagen. Bemakers gives brand owners a scalable, compliant route to market, handling import, compliance, warehousing, logistics and sales across 9 European markets: Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Austria, France, Spain and Switzerland. More than 200 brand partners, from independent producers to international houses of brands, work with Bemakers today. www.bemakers.com
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