| Sandeman | |
| Founder: | George Sandeman |
| Location: | Largo Miguel Bombarda, 34400-222 Vila Nova de GaiaPortugal |
| Area Served: | Worldwide |
Sandeman is a brand of Port and Sherry wines founded in 1790.Its well known logo features a caped man known as "The Don" dressed in a Portuguese student's cape and a wide traditional Andalusian type hat.[1] [2] Besides Port and Sherry wines, it also produces Brandy and Madeira wine.[3]
Brothers George and David Sandeman from Perth founded the company[4] in 1790 with £300.[2] David left the company in 1798 to found the Commercial Bank of Scotland leaving George in sole charge.
In 1953, Sandeman bought the port company Robertson Brothers.[5] [6]
Initially passed to his nephew, George Glas Sandeman,[7] Sandeman remained a family business until bought out by the drinks company Seagram in 1979.[8] In 2001 the operation was sold to Sogrape by Diageo and Pernod Ricard who had acquired it from Seagram.[9] A descendant, George Thomas David Sandeman is a member of the board of Sogrape Vinhos S.A.[7]
The founder George Sandeman, whose father was also George, was descended from the marriage of David Sandeman to Margret Ramsey in 1716, whose offspring included a notable Glasite theologian Robert Sandeman and the Perthshire linen manufacturer William Sandeman.[2] Family descendants remained owners of the wine business until 1993.[8] In the nineteenth century the family became associated with Hayling Island coming to live at Westfield House in West Town, Hayling Island and with a family grave in St. Mary's Church.[10] The Hayling Golf Club was founded by Fleetwood Sandeman in 1883.[11]
Lea & Sandeman is an independent wine merchant formed by Patrick Sandeman and Charles Lea in 1993. Patrick was a member of the Sandeman family who had initially worked for Seagram. He died in a skydiving accident in 2012 and his wife Katie succeeded him as a director.[8] [12]