CopperCairn Ltd

CopperCairn first came to life in October 2020 after entrepreneur Mitch Bechard decided to leave behind his career as a global whisky ambassador for William Grant and Sons and Glenfiddich and start his own business – whisky experiences with a twist.

DSL Business Finance provided Mitch with loan funding to purchase a luxury custom-built eight-seater van to enable him to take groups around some of Scotland’s best distilleries.

After 15 years in the industry, Mitch decided to channel his passion and extensive knowledge into a new venture aimed at whisky enthusiasts, offering whisky tastings, bespoke dinners, tours, retreats and masterclasses from newly renovated accommodation in the heart of Speyside.

Mitch Bechard, said: “Whisky has been a passion of mine for over 15 years, and I’ve been thinking of starting my own company for a while, so when the opportunity came up – I had to jump on it. Receiving the funding and support from DSL Business Finance was an essential stepping stone in this next phase of CopperCairn, and the application process has been incredibly smooth from start to finish.

Despite starting in the middle of the pandemic, business picked up quickly, and Mitch decided to take the idea further with the purchase of the van to take the tours out on the road. There has been strong interest and had a number of bookings for the first summer. Mitch plans to to keep building the business and buy more vans. He wants this to be more than just a normal whisky tour but a unique experience where his customers can combine various activities and interests.