What Woven does

Woven is a Leith-based whisky blending house operating as Freshwater Spirits Company Ltd., founded in Edinburgh around 2021 and led by co-founders Pete Allison (Managing Director and whisky maker) and Duncan McRae with a team of approximately 14 employees. The company does not own distilleries; instead it sources casks from producers across Scotland, Taiwan, Australia, India, New Zealand, Germany, the USA, and Ireland, and blends them in a studio located in the Biscuit Factory on Anderson Place in Leith — a site with distilling heritage dating back to Bonnington's distillery (1798). The core technical proposition is a flavor-first blending methodology that strips out labels, provenance, and price considerations to optimise purely on taste, supplemented by a proprietary generative art visualisation platform developed with Dutch artist Loïc Schwaller that renders blending data as flowing visual representations of whisky flavour.

The product portfolio is organised around three layers: (i) a core range of blended whiskies priced £40–£55 (Woven Whisky, Pure Malt, HOMEMADE, Superblend, HEMISPHERES, and WXC), (ii) an Experience series of numbered limited-edition blends (N.1 through N.23+) each exploring a specific theme — peated studies, Nordic exploration, the world's first English blended whisky (N.22), a Scotland-Germany Fluxus-inspired blend (N.23) — typically produced in batches of 27 to 2,100 bottles, and (iii) W Projects, an experimental micro-batch collaboration sub-brand co-created with partners including Inverarity Morton, Malt Norge, Jarek Buss & Son, Assembly Coffee, Black Rock, Kestin, and Civerinos. Supplementary revenue lines include merchandise (a canvas tote bag), a tasting set with QR-coded virtual tasting events hosted by the co-founders, and hands-on blending workshops at the Leith studio.

The business operates a primarily direct-to-consumer model via a Shopify storefront with UK mainland shipping through UPS (£5.75–£8.20 per order, free over £150) and Edinburgh local delivery via electric cargo bikes (Farr Out Deliveries), supplemented by a Partner Portal route into bars and restaurants (including named accounts such as Voodoo Rooms, The Gate, The Absent Ear, Kelvingrove Cafe, and Black Rock), experiential workshop revenue booked through FareHarbor, and an international channel partnership with Royal Mile Whiskies announced in September 2021. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding, currently ships only within the UK, and has earned three consecutive World's Most Admired Whiskies designations (Drinks International, 2023–2025) plus World's Best Flavoured Whisky at the World Whisky Awards 2026. A second studio in London is referenced for English whisky blending projects, and a new Woven Blending Rooms facility in Leith was announced for May 2026.

Name

Woven

Legal name

Freshwater Spirits Company Ltd.

Website

https://wovenwhisky.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Woven is a 14-person Leith-based whisky blending house that sources casks from distilleries worldwide and blends them in Edinburgh into core expressions, a numbered limited-edition Experience series, and W Projects collaborations, sold via UK DTC e-commerce, trade, and on-site workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blended Whisky

NAICS

Distilleries (312140)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Craft Distilleries & Microdistilleries (THAFALAH), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Blended whisky
• Whisky blending
• Limited edition whisky
• Whisky experiences
• Scotch whisky makers

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: E-commerce sales of blended whisky products directly to consumers through Shopify store. Products include core range (Woven Whisky, Pure Malt, Homemade, Superblend, Hemispheres) and limited edition Experiences (N.1 through N.23+). Also sells merchandise (tote bags) and tasting sets.
2. Bar and Restaurant Trade: Supplying whiskies to bars and restaurants across the UK. Partner Portal exists for retailer onboarding.
3. Experiential Services: Whisky blending workshops offered at the Leith studio. Bookings through FareHarbor platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Woven blends, bottles, and sells a portfolio of blended and blended-world whiskies sourced from distilleries worldwide, operating from a studio in Leith, Edinburgh. The range spans core expressions (Woven Whisky, Pure Malt, Superblend, HOMEMADE, HEMISPHERES, WXC), a numbered Experience series of limited-edition single-batch releases (N.1 through N.23+), experimental W Projects micro-batches, branded collaborations, tasting sets, and merchandise, complemented by hands-on whisky blending workshops held at the studio.

Product overview

Woven is a Leith-based whisky blending house operating from an old biscuit factory studio. The company does not own distilleries but sources casks from distilleries across Scotland and worldwide, blending them in their Edinburgh studio. The core product portfolio centres on two flagship blended whiskies (Woven Whisky and Pure Malt), two core blended world expressions (Superblend, HOMEMADE, HEMISPHERES), a flavoured whisky (WXC), and an ongoing Experience series of numbered limited-edition blends (N.1 through N.23+). The Experience series explores themed single-batch expressions — ranging from peated studies (N.8) to Nordic explorations (N.20) to world-first English blending (N.22). Supplementary offerings include W Projects (experimental micro-batch collaborations), whisky blending workshop experiences, a merchandise tote bag, and a whisky tasting set. The company was founded approximately five years ago and operates as Freshwater Spirits Company Ltd.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Woven Whisky Flagship house blend combining corn, wheat, and single malt whiskies of multiple origins, designed as an everyday versatile whisky priced at £40 per 70cl bottle.
• Pure Malt World blended malt whisky made entirely from single malts sourced from Speyside (77%), Australia (10.8%), Taiwan (7.3%), and India (4.9%), blended and married in Leith, priced at £50.
• Superblend Blended world whisky combining whiskies from Scotland, England, Germany, USA, and Ireland, designed for borderless creativity, priced at £50.
• HOMEMADE Bold Leith-inspired blended whisky with over 70% malt content and double sherry-seasoned cask finishes, non-chill filtered with natural colour, priced at £45.
• HEMISPHERES Blended world whisky pairing New Zealand Thomson Distillery Manuka-smoked single malt with Scotland's North British grain whisky, priced at £55.
• WXC Flavoured whisky collaboration with London's Assembly Coffee Roasters combining Scotch whisky with Colombian coffee; no sugar added; winner of World's Best Flavoured Whisky 2026.
• Experience N.10 — Midnight Oil Limited-edition Experience series release of 226 bottles, an opulent herbal expression with licorice, soft smoke, and beeswax notes, priced at £150.
• Experience N.22 — Pastures New Limited-edition Experience series release marketed as the world's first and only English blended whisky, combining diverse English distillery components.
• Experience N.23 — Fluxus Latest Experience series release blending Scotland and Germany as true equals, inspired by the Fluxus art movement.
• Woven x Kestin Loch Bay Limited edition collaboration with Scottish fashion brand KESTIN celebrating 10 years, inspired by Loch Bay on the Isle of Skye; bottled at 46.9% ABV, non-chill filtered; only 100 bottles created, 50 available for purchase.
• Woven x Civerinos Hot Honey Spirit drink collaboration with Scottish pizza brand Civerinos — blended Scotch whisky around North British grain, infused with blossom honey and guajillo/green jalapeño chilli; 340 bottles at 43.1% ABV.
• Experience Whisky Tasting Set A 3x10cl whisky tasting pack with QR-coded access to a virtual tasting event hosted by Woven's co-founder Pete Allison.
• Whisky Blending Workshops Hands-on whisky blending workshops held at the Leith blending studio, booked through FareHarbor; participants blend and take home their own bottle.
• Woven Tote Bag Limited edition 100% brushed canvas tote bag with zip closure and interior pocket, sold as branded merchandise.
• Woven Highball Drops Flavour enhancer drops launched July 2025 designed to elevate whisky highball serves.
• W Projects Series of experimental, one-off micro-batch whisky projects created in collaboration with partners worldwide such as Carte Blanche, Cairngorm Coffee, Malt Norge AS, Inverarity Morton, Abildsø Symposium, Black Rock, and Jarek Buss & Son.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named in World's Most Admired Whiskies 2025 - third consecutive year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• KESTINminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Scottish fashion brand celebrating 10 years. Collaboration on Woven x Kestin Loch Bay - limited edition whisky inspired by Isle of Skye. Only 100 bottles created.
• Malt Norge ASminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Norwegian whisky collaboration. W Project 03 blending Scottish whiskies for Norwegian market.
• Inverarity MortoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 2024Scotland-based drinks company since 1945. W Project 04 collaboration creating exclusive blend for Inverarity Morton customers. 470 bottles exclusively available through them.
• Royal Mile WhiskiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2021Partnership announced September 2021 enabling Woven to ship products outside the UK for the first time. Royal Mile Whiskies handles international distribution.
• Assembly Coffee RoasterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon-based specialty coffee roasters. Collaboration on WXC - flavoured whisky blending Scotch whisky with Colombian coffee. Six months of experimentation led to naturally sweet result without added sugar.
• Black RockminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon bar that sorts whisky by taste, not region. Collaboration on W Project 07 creating a textured whisky for Black Rock's table service ritual. Part of blend rests in PX hogshead continuing evolution.
• CiverinosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScottish pizza royalty. Collaboration on Woven x Civerinos Hot Honey whisky. Made possible by pairing their hot honey pizza drizzle with Woven Homemade. 340 bottles made.
• Farr Out DeliveriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEdinburgh-based company using electric cargo bikes for sustainable local deliveries. Woven uses them for Edinburgh local delivery within 72 hours.
• Thomson WhiskyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Zealand whisky maker producing Manuka-smoked single malt. Their distillate used in HEMISPHERES blend - a key component bringing herbal, smoky character.
• Jarek Buss & SonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish whisky pioneer and movement leader. W Project 08 co-created for Polish market exclusively. 200 bottles with bold, sherry-forward profile.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Compass Box Whisky: London-based independent whisky blending house founded by John Glaser in 2000. Operates a nearly identical model to Woven — sourcing casks globally, blending small batches, releasing limited editions, and competing in the same premium-blend category.
• Douglas Laing & Co: Family-owned Glasgow independent bottler and blender established 1948. Sources and blends single cask and small-batch Scotch; comparable craft-blending heritage and Scottish DTC + trade model.
• Hunter Laing & Co: Glasgow-based independent bottler and blender, sister firm to Douglas Laing. Similar premium positioning, limited-edition releases, and global sourcing philosophy.
• Adelphi Distillery: Scottish independent bottler and now distiller known for small-batch, cask-driven releases. Closely comparable to Woven on craft positioning, scarcity, and DTC-led premium sales.
• Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky: Huntly-based independent bottler and blender with deep cask library and worldwide distribution. Competes with Woven for the same on-trade and specialty retail buyers.

Emerging players

• North Star Spirits: Glasgow-based independent blender releasing small-batch Scotch. Smaller and earlier-stage than Woven, but occupies the same indie-blending niche and appeals to overlapping trade and DTC customers.

Broad incumbents

• Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard): Owns Chivas Regal and Ballantine's — the dominant blended Scotch houses globally. Sets pricing, distribution, and marketing benchmarks Woven must beat at the premium end.
• John Walker & Sons (Diageo): World's largest blended Scotch portfolio owned by Diageo. Defines the mass-premium and luxury blend category that Woven's Woven Whisky and Pure Malt compete against.

Others

• Speciality Drinks / The Whisky Exchange: Major UK specialist whisky retailer and indie bottler. Both a potential distribution partner and a competitive indie-bottling label — overlapping premium-whisky DTC buyer base with Woven.
• Master of Malt (Atom Brands): Major UK online spirits retailer and indie bottler (via That Boutique-y Whisky Company). A key channel and adjacent producer — overlapping customer base and overlapping indie-bottler competitive set.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WovenWhiskyMakers
• Facebookfacebook.com/wovenwhisky
• Instagraminstagram.com/wovenwhisky
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wovenwhisky

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woven