A softly softly approach with drinks at the Fringe

A Scottish soft drinks firm is to be introduced to thousands at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

Rapscallion, based in Glasgow, uses fresh fruit and the lowest possible amount of sugar, and will be stocked at all catering outlets at Assembly venues throughout this year’s Fringe.

Assembly is one of the largest and best known venues at the Edinburgh Fringe with many bars across their five main sites across the centre of Edinburgh.

The change from one of the largest soft drinks producers to Rapscallion, which was started in 2016 by Gregor Leckie with an investmant of £4,000, will be one of the biggest orders that the company has received.

With a background in drinks, Gregor uses processes akin to brewing and distilling to create soft drinks with complex flavours to be savoured and enjoyed like a good malt.

It starts with the best raw ingredients sourced from local markets; natural flavours and aromas are gently extracted using pressure and cooling without heat destroying the tastes. Organic raw cane sugar helps bind these flavours together and a little Vitamin C stops any oxidisation. Once the balance between sweet, sour and bitter has been discovered, the drinks are supercharged with carbonation.

Rapscallion founder Gregor Leckie

At present there are six flavours – Ninja (ginger), Burnt Lemon, Cranachan (raspberry), Dry Lime, Red (strawberry and chilli) and Pink (rhubarb and pink grapefruit) all of which are delicious on their own or packing a punch as mixers for spirits such as gin, whisky, rum and vodka.

Gregor said: ‘Rapscallion came to me when I realised that I still wanted to go out with friends but didn’t always want to drink alcohol. Water is no fun and really didn’t like the idea of all the chemicals and sugar in other soft drinks.

‘This deal with assembly will be huge for us and I’m excited to get feedback on the range we’ve worked so hard to develop.’

Nik Whybrew, operations director of AssemblyFestival says: ‘We are always keen to source local products and producers for our food and drink outlets.

‘Rapscallion is a young and innovative company based in Scotland, but most of all they produce great flavoured, low sugar soft drinks which have no artificial additives. We look forward to introducing the range to our customers this summer.’

Rapscallion drinks are currently stocked in a variety of bars, restaurants and delis across central Scotland and also available online.

• Read more Scottish Field food and drinks news HERE.