A Little Demijohn History

Angus and Frances in the Edinburgh Shop in 2004

My Wife and I founded Demijohn in 2004 in Edinburgh's Old Town as the World's first liquid deli. It started as a family business and still is very much that. As Demijohn has grown so has our family and our need for space!

As a result, we are now based at Glenlair Steading on our family farm in a beautiful part of Galloway, South West Scotland.

The idea for Demijohn came originally from a wonderful experience I had while living and working in Naples, Southern Italy, in the early 1990's as a Student.

I would buy my wine for parties from a local Cantina, or winery. We were allowed to take along a container of our own, try the wines on offer and have our jerrycan filled up.

It was a bit like filling up your car with fuel at a petrol pump, except a lot more fun! Having travelled widely and eaten adventurous food all our lives, Frances and I decided it was about time Britain enjoyed the full freedoms of taste experienced on the continent, but with a focus on locally sourced British produce.

The Edinburgh Shop in 2005

Eureka!

And so a new idea was born in July 2004, however mad people thought we were at the time. We now have our main outlet at Glenlair Steading, our farm and home in South West Scotland.

Our thriving international mail order business and a growing wholesale distribution of our products throughout a network of UK farm shops and small independent retailers allow us to deliver our products in a sustainable way to our customers throughout the World.

Inspired by our own love of good food and drink, we have brought together a remarkable collection of predominantly British products such as liqueurs, whiskies, wines, spirits, olive oils and vinegars and inspired others into understanding and loving them. Our products represent an underworld of small artisanal British producers, ranging from retired PE Teachers to ex Bankers, who make some of the finest things known to mankind. Our product notes will let you find out more about each producer.

A few years may have passed since our starting days, but in truth it feels as though we have only just begun. On behalf of us both, thank you for your great enthusiasm, support and custom.

Angus and Frances Ferguson