Could Somerset cider become a Tayside tipple? Company aims to put Scottish scrumpy on the map

Published: 19:56, 6 July 2026 | Updated: 19:56, 6 July 2026 It is a drink as famous for its west Country roots as whisky is for being Scottish. But a growing craft cider-maker based in Tayside is taking on the might of the English region in a bid to put Scotland on the map claiming it is a ‘sleeping giant’ that is now waking up. Lost Orchards Cider, based at East Adamston Farm near Dundee, makes its product using Scottish-grown and pressed apples, rather than imported concentrate that it says is favoured by some peers north of the Border. The firm’s fruit is washed, pressed, and fermented using champagne yeast, before being stored in stainless steel until ready. Lost Orchards works with major Scottish fruit-growers, and has planted and is replanting thousands of apple trees as part of its long-term plan to bring traditional commercial orchard-growing back to Scotland. Last year, it produced more than 180 tonnes of the fruit, while it says its Pure Apple Cider won gold at the International Cider Awards before the brand had officially launched. Angus Morrison and Jamie Morrison of Lost Orchards Cider Angus Morrison, who founded the firm with Andrew Husband, believes that if Japan can make some of the world’s best-award winning whisky, there is nothing stopping Scotland making ‘world-class cider in the traditional way’. He added: ‘For too long, people have assumed great cider only comes from places like Somerset, but we believe Scotland, particularly with changing weather patterns, is a sleeping giant of cider production which is just awakening. ‘We grow beautiful fruit here, we have the expertise, and we have already proved that our Scottish cider can win on the international stage. ‘Big global brands dominate so much of the market, but we think there is a real appetite for products that are independent, transparent and genuinely rooted in Scotland.’ The UK cider industry boosts the economy by almost £2.7 billion a year, according to a study by the National Association of Cider Makers, which also found that six in ten consumers said they’d prefer cider to come from a British producer. Mr Morrison added: ‘We want genuine traditional cider to become part of modern Scottish food and drink culture: something people are proud to drink, stock and serve.’ Cider production has for centuries been associated with the West Country in England, with its wet and rugged terrain providing fertile ground for growing apple trees. Apples are in fact thought to have arrived in Western Europe via the Silk Road from the foothills of the Tien Shan mountain range. According to West Country lore, local farmers all grew cider apples to make the drink for their own use, as well as to use as wages, for example. The UK is the world’s largest cider market, and is seeing the drink growing in popularity, with consumers increasingly favouring premium and crafted ciders.