Traditional Mead UK

Scottish Mead: Producers, History and Where to Buy

Scotland has a long association with honey drinks, but the current market is smaller and more complicated than many online lists suggest. Some bottles have Scottish origins or branding while being produced elsewhere; small craft meaderies may sell only seasonal batches.

This guide separates current production in Scotland from Scottish-origin brands and avoids claiming that any one business is Scotland’s only mead producer. Producer status and availability were checked on 11 October 2026.

Current Scottish craft mead: The Rookery

The Rookery describes itself as a Perthshire craft mead producer. Its meads use honey as the main fermentable and draw on Scottish native and foraged ingredients such as heather, meadowsweet, rowan berries and crab apples.

That seasonal approach means the range can change and individual bottles may be difficult to find. Third-party shops can show a sizeable range while many flavours are sold out. Consult the producer’s current website and social channels before travelling or ordering.

Read our Rookery profile for more background.

Moniack Mead: Scottish roots, Devon production

Moniack Mead is one of the names most closely associated with Scottish mead. It was developed by Highland Wineries at Moniack Castle near Beauly in the Scottish Highlands.

That history does not mean current bottles are made in Scotland. Lyme Bay Winery acquired Highland Wineries, and current Moniack production moved to Lyme Bay’s winery in Devon. It is therefore most accurate to describe Moniack as a Scottish-origin mead brand now produced in England.

This distinction matters if you want to support production physically based in Scotland. It does not erase the brand’s Highland history.

Are there other Scottish meaderies?

Very small and emerging makers can be difficult to verify: social pages appear before licensed sales channels, market-only businesses pause, and older directory entries remain online after stock disappears.

We found references to additional projects and mead sold at Scottish markets, but not enough reliable current evidence to present a comprehensive 2026 producer list. This page will be updated when a producer’s identity, Scottish production base and current sales route can be verified.

That is also why older claims that a company is “the only meadery in Scotland” should be treated cautiously.

Where to buy Scottish mead

For mead made in Scotland

Start with The Rookery’s official channels and named independent stockists. Ask whether a flavour is current before making a special journey. Seasonal ingredients and small batches naturally produce uneven availability.

For the familiar Moniack bottle

Moniack has broader distribution through Lyme Bay Winery and drinks retailers. When checked, the producer maintained a current product presence, but compare bottle size, seller and delivery cost. See our Moniack Mead guide for the brand’s history and serving suggestions.

In Scottish shops

Independent bottle shops in cities and tourist areas may stock mead made elsewhere in Britain as well as occasional Scottish bottles. If provenance matters, read the producer address rather than assuming that a shop’s location or a Celtic label shows where the drink was fermented.

For national retailers and more styles, see where to buy mead in the UK.

What does Scottish mead taste like?

There is no single Scottish style. Modern producers may make:

Heather honey and native botanicals can provide a sense of place, but ingredients, fermentation and sweetness matter more than national branding alone.

Scottish mead and history

Archaeological evidence shows that fermented drinks combining honey with cereals, plants or fruit existed in prehistoric Britain, including Scotland. Exact recipes and modern category names should not be projected backwards too confidently: residue evidence can identify ingredients without giving us a complete drinks list or production method.

Modern Scottish makers often use this history as inspiration rather than claiming to reproduce one definitive ancient recipe.

Producer status and availability reviewed 11 October 2026. If you operate a Scottish meadery with a current public sales channel, contact the site with evidence so the guide can be checked and updated.