Verdant Spirits aimed to become Dundee’s first commercial distillery in nearly 200 years, aspiring to create a unique Scottish rum using an unconventional ingredient: panela, an unrefined cane sugar not typically found in UK spirit production. To achieve this ambitious goal, Verdant partnered with Heriot-Watt University’s prestigious International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) through the Standard Innovation Voucher Scheme, supported by the Scottish Funding Council.

Challenge

While Verdant Spirits planned to diversify its offerings, including gin, whisky, and fortified wines, the initial focus was to craft a unique Scottish rum. The goal was to harness panela as a core fermentable, which would provide a distinct taste unlike traditional molasses-based rums. However, developing this concept into a market-ready product necessitated specialized knowledge in fermentation processes, yeast strain selection, and distillation techniques—expertise largely found within academic and research settings.

Solution

Recognizing this need, Verdant turned to Heriot-Watt’s ICBD, Scotland’s only academic institution dedicated to brewing and distilling, which boasted necessary pilot distillation equipment and extensive research capabilities. The collaboration involved Dr. Annie Hill and her research team working closely with Verdant’s founder, Andrew Mackenzie, to refine the vision for the new rum. This partnership focused on research and experimentation concerning fermentation and distillation to streamline production processes and ensure a high-quality end product. Additionally, it helped Verdant enhance its technical skills and connect with talented individuals, particularly through outreach to Heriot-Watt’s MSc brewing and distilling students.

Impact

The collaborative effort resulted in the successful creation of an innovative panela-based rum recipe, marking a first for the Scottish market. This unique rum combined scientific knowledge with creative strategies, facilitating Verdant’s journey to scaled production and the introduction of their signature gin.

Why Heriot-Watt?

The International Centre for Brewing and Distilling is a singular resource in Scotland and one of the few across the UK, providing the technical infrastructure and academic mentorship necessary for developing innovative spirits. From small-scale fermentation to pilot distillation and sensory evaluation, the ICBD bridges the gap between concept and market-ready products.

Want to work with us?

This project highlights the opportunity for businesses to engage with Heriot-Watt’s research expertise. Whether you’re an emerging distillery or an established brand seeking innovation, our team is ready to help bring your ideas to fruition. Learn more about collaborating with us: www.hw.ac.uk/research-enterprise

Apple-Rum Compote

Harness the flavors of autumn with a spiced apple compote infused with rum. This recipe provides a delightful twist on traditional apple preserves, offering complex flavors that can be enjoyed alone or as a versatile component in various dishes.

The combination of tart and sweet apples yields a well-balanced flavor, while the addition of gold rum enriches the compote with a warm undertone. This makes it ideal as a spread for scones or a topping for waffles. It can also serve as a unique filling in desserts like layer cakes.

Flambé Technique

To achieve a caramelized flavor without the harshness of raw rum, a flambé technique is utilized. After cooking the apples with brown sugar and spices, the rum is added and ignited. This burns off some of the alcohol while enhancing the flavors, resulting in a fruity compote with depth.

Ingredients

• 1 medium McIntosh, Braeburn, or Fuji apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 5 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) gold rum
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large skillet, combine the apples, brown sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Let the mixture rest at room temperature, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve.
2. Cook the apple mixture over medium-high heat, stirring often, until tender (about 5 minutes).
3. Measure the rum into a heatproof cup. Remove the skillet from heat, pour in the rum, and carefully ignite it with a long match. Shake the skillet gently until the flames extinguish (approximately 1 minute).
4. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the liquid almost completely evaporates (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat.
5. Use a potato masher or fork to break up the apple mixture until mostly smooth. Add lemon juice and vanilla, stirring to combine. Allow to cool completely at room temperature (about 30 minutes).

Make Ahead

This compote can be made up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy it standalone or incorporate it into your favorite fall desserts.

For additional delicious recipes, check out:

• Apple-Rum Spice Cake Recipe
• Fig Jam Recipe
• Pear Jam with Green Cardamom Recipe

Rumble, the video-sharing platform, has reported its Q2 2025 results, showing an 11.6% year-on-year revenue increase to $25.08 million but falling short of analysts’ expectations, which had predicted $26.78 million. The platform recorded a GAAP loss of $0.12 per share, significantly underperforming against a consensus forecast of $0.07 loss per share.

Despite these disappointments, Rumble’s management expressed optimism regarding the company’s ability to grow through strategic initiatives and partnerships. CEO Chris Pavlovski noted the platform’s ability to sustain over 51 million monthly active users, even without its largest creator, emphasizing resilience and engagement.

Key highlights from Rumble’s performance include:

• Revenue of $25.08 million, a 11.6% increase but a 6.3% miss compared to expectations.
• A GAAP EPS loss of -$0.12, falling 80% below forecasts.
• Adjusted EBITDA loss of $20.46 million, which is worse than expectations of $11.85 million.
• Operating margin improved to -117% from -173% year-over-year.
• The company’s market capitalization stands at $2.75 billion.

Looking forward, Rumble is prioritizing aggressive growth through various initiatives, including the upcoming launch of Rumble Wallet, which aims to boost user engagement and creator incentives on the platform. Collaboration with Tether for crypto-based transactions is also expected to drive international user adoption.

Management also highlighted the potential growth from AI and cloud services, stating ongoing efforts to diversify revenue streams beyond video sharing. The upcoming quarters will see a focus on monitoring metrics related to the Rumble Wallet, new partnerships, and the pace of Rumble’s international expansion.

Despite the stock’s slight increase to $8.16 following the earnings report, the analysts remain keen to see if Rumble can capitalize on its momentum in the face of mixed financial results and aggressive market expectations.

For further details about Rumble and its stock performance, you can refer to their financial analysis here.