In 2011 Jim Ewan, in struggling to find a local rum distillery to visit in the Dominican Republic casually remarked that it would be easier to build one. On his return, he pitched the idea for Dark Matter Distillers to his brother John. On realising that there were currently no rum distilleries in Scotland, they panicked and tried to suss out why. On seeing that there was apparently no legitimate reason, they carried on full steam ahead. Finally, after a roller coaster of fundraising and risks, in early 2015 the distillery in Banchory was fully operational.
With labels that look like the could well belong somewhere in a lab or perhaps on the periodic table, it’s no surprise that the brothers have really thrown themselves into the science of flavours, yeast strains and distillation methods. As well as the flagship spiced rum, they now have a range of liqueurs.