Mallya: Moving in

London, Oct. 14 (Reuters): Vijay Mallya is in Scotland for talks with Whyte & Mackay, which may lead to his making a bid for the £600-million ($1.1 billion) whisky distiller.

Mallya, who owns drinks-to-airline conglomerate UB, will meet Whyte & Mackay’s chairman and majority shareholder Vivian Imerman at the distiller’s central Scotland bottling plant in Grangemouth for wide-ranging talks, sources said.

Mallya reached Scotland on Friday.

Earlier this week, South Africa-born businessman Imerman said he was evaluating more than one unsolicited bid that may lead to the sale of part of the business, the whole of the business, or a strategic alliance.

The talks could concern a strategic alliance or distribution deal as well as the sale of part or whole of Whyte & Mackay, the sources added.

A Whyte & Mackay spokesperson did not comment on the nature of the talks in Scotland.

“These talks between Vijay Mallya and Vivian Imerman are continuing to evaluate the strategic options for Whyte & Mackay,” she said. Imerman has said the Scottish whisky group, which makes Whyte & Mackay blended scotch together with Isle of Jura and Dalmore single malt whiskies, is valued at £600 million, and it was in talks with UB in addition to others over bids for the group.

The valuation of Whyte & Mackay, which was sold for only £208 million in 2001 to a group of investors, including Imerman, includes £200 million worth of aged whisky stocks, the sources said.