Delivery, Refunds and Returns

Delivery Policy

1. Delivery Areas

We currently deliver alcoholic beverages to addresses within the United Kingdom, including Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Some remote areas may incur additional charges or have extended delivery times.34

We do not currently offer international shipping. If you are outside the UK and wish to place an order, please contact us at Black Thistle Spirits to discuss options.

2. Age Verification & Responsible Delivery

In accordance with the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, by placing an order, you confirm you are 18 or over.

Delivery to a Responsible Adult

If you are not available at the time of delivery, our courier may leave the package with a neighbour or in a safe place only if it is safe and appropriate to do so. Alcohol will never be left where it may be accessible to persons under 18.

No delivery will be made to a person who appears to be intoxicated.

3. Delivery Timescales & Charges

Next Day Delivery

UK Mainland only
Charge: £6.99 per order

Islands and Northern Ireland

Please contact us via our contact options to discuss deliveries to the British Islands and Northern Ireland.

4. Order Processing

Orders are processed Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM (excluding Scottish and UK public holidays). Orders placed outside these hours will be processed on the next working day.

You will receive an order confirmation email once your order is placed, and a dispatch email with tracking information once your order has been shipped.

5. Packaging

All products are carefully packed to prevent breakage during transit. We use specialist spirits packaging where appropriate. We aim to minimise unnecessary packaging in line with our environmental commitments.

6. Failed Deliveries & Returns

If a delivery attempt is unsuccessful (e.g., no adult available to sign, ID not provided, property inaccessible), the courier will leave a notification card. You will typically have 3 working days to rearrange delivery or collect from a depot before the order is returned to us.

Where an order is returned to us due to a failed delivery, we will contact you to arrange re-delivery. A re-delivery charge may apply. If you do not respond within 7 days, we will process a refund for the goods minus original delivery charges and any return costs.

7. Damaged or Lost Orders

If your order arrives damaged, please retain all packaging and contact us within 48 hours of delivery at hello@blackthistlespirits.com with photographs of the damage. We will arrange a replacement or refund at our discretion.

If your order does not arrive within the expected timeframe, please contact us. We will investigate with the courier. Lost parcels are subject to the courier’s claims process, which may take up to 10 working days to resolve.

8. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing our website or placing an order, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. Please read them carefully before purchasing. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, you must not use our website or purchase from us.

We reserve the right to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time. Changes will be posted on our website with an updated effective date. Continued use of our website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of those changes.

9. Eligibility to Purchase

You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase any products from Black Thistle Spirits. By placing an order, you are legally confirming that:

You are at least 18 years of age;
The recipient of the delivery is at least 18 years of age;
You will not make the products available to any person under 18 years of age.

It is an offence under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to purchase or attempt to purchase alcohol if you are under 18. We may cancel any order we reasonably believe has been placed by or on behalf of a minor.

10. Product Information & Pricing

We take reasonable care to ensure product descriptions, images, and information on our website are accurate. However, we do not warrant that such information is complete or error-free. Products may appear different in colour due to variations in monitor settings.

All prices are displayed in pounds sterling (GBP) and are inclusive of VAT at the applicable rate. Delivery charges are shown separately at checkout. We reserve the right to amend prices at any time without prior notice. The price confirmed at the time of order confirmation is the price you will pay.

Promotional offers, discount codes, and sale prices are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time.

11. Placing an Order

By completing the checkout process and clicking ‘Place Order’, you are making an offer to purchase the selected goods. A contract of sale is only formed when we send you an order confirmation email. We reserve the right to decline any order at our discretion, including where:

A product is out of stock.
We are unable to verify your age or payment details.
There has been an error in pricing or product description.
We have reason to believe the order is fraudulent.

If we cannot fulfil your order after confirmation, we will notify you promptly and provide a full refund.

12. Payment

We accept major debit and credit cards, and other payment methods, as shown at checkout. All transactions are processed securely via our payment provider. We do not store full card details on our servers.

Payment is taken at the time of placing your order. If a payment fails, your order will not be processed. Please contact your bank or card issuer in the first instance.

13. Cancellations & Returns (Consumer Rights)

Your Right to Cancel

Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, you have the right to cancel your order within 14 days of receiving your goods without giving a reason. To exercise this right, you must notify us in writing (including email) at hello@blackthistlespirits.com within 14 days of receipt.

Return of Goods

Following cancellation, you must return the goods to us within 14 days at your own cost unless the items are faulty or incorrectly sent. Goods must be returned in their original, unopened condition. We will issue a full refund within 14 days of receiving the returned goods.

Exceptions

The right to cancel does not apply to:

Goods that have been opened or partially consumed.
Bespoke, personalised, or specially ordered products.
Perishable goods (e.g., certain gift hampers).

Faulty or Incorrect Goods

If you receive goods that are faulty, damaged, or not as described, your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 apply. Please contact us within 30 days of receipt for a full refund, repair, or replacement.

14. Responsible Alcohol Consumption

We are committed to promoting responsible alcohol consumption. The Chief Medical Officers for the UK recommend that adults should not regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week. We include unit information on our product pages where possible.

If you are concerned about your alcohol consumption or that of someone you know, please visit Drink Aware (www.drinkaware.co.uk) or contact Alcohol Focus Scotland (www.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk).

We reserve the right to refuse service and cancel orders where we have reason to believe a purchase may be associated with harm.

15. Intellectual Property

All content on our website, including text, images, logos, and design, is the intellectual property of Black Thistle Spirits or our licensors. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or exploit any content without our prior written consent.

16. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total liability to you in connection with any order or these Terms shall not exceed the total value of that order. We are not liable for indirect, consequential, or special losses, including loss of profit or business opportunity.

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any liability that cannot be excluded under Scots or UK law.

17. Privacy & Data Protection

We collect and process personal data in accordance with our Privacy and Cookie Policy (available on our website) and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. By placing an order, you consent to us processing your data as set out in that policy.

We will not sell your personal data to third parties. We may share data with trusted service providers (e.g., payment processors, couriers) only where necessary to fulfil your order.

18. Complaints & Dispute Resolution

We take customer complaints seriously. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please contact us at:

Email: hello@blackthistlespirits.com

We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and aim to resolve it within 14 working days.

If we are unable to resolve your complaint, you may refer it to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) body. You may also use the EU Online Dispute Resolution platform at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/ where applicable.

19. Licensing & Compliance

Black Thistle Spirits holds all necessary licences for the online retail sale of alcohol under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. Our Premises Licence and Personal Licence details are available on request. We are committed to full compliance with all applicable alcohol licensing legislation.

We do not supply alcohol to trade customers or resellers through this website. For trade enquiries, please contact us separately.

Refund and Returns Policy

1. Overview

At Black Thistle Spirits, we want you to be completely satisfied with every purchase. If for any reason you are not happy, this policy explains how we handle refunds and returns for orders placed through our website.

Because we sell alcoholic beverages — which are subject to specific legal requirements under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 and applicable UK consumer law — some conditions apply that differ from standard retail. Please read this policy carefully before making a purchase.

Quick Reference Summary

The table below provides a summary of our policy. Full details for each scenario are set out in the sections that follow.

Situation	Eligible for Refund?	Return Required?
Faulty / damaged on arrival	Yes — full refund or replacement	Retain for inspection
Wrong item sent	Yes — full refund or replacement	We arrange collection
Changed your mind (unopened)	Yes — within 14 days	Customer arranges & pays
Changed your mind (opened)	No	N/A
Refused delivery (age/ID)	Goods refund only — no delivery fee	N/A
Personalised / bespoke product	No (unless faulty)	N/A
Order not arrived (confirmed lost)	Yes — full refund or resend	N/A

2. Your Right to Cancel (Change of Mind)

Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, you have the right to cancel your order within 14 calendar days of receiving your goods, without giving any reason.

2.1 Cancellation Window

The 14-day cancellation period begins on the day you, or a person you nominate, physically receives the goods. If your order is delivered in multiple parts, the period begins when the last item is received.

2.2 How to Cancel

To exercise your right to cancel, you must notify us in writing before the 14-day period expires. You can do this by:

Email: hello@blackthistlespirits.com (please include your order number and the words ‘Notice of Cancellation’ in the subject line)

We will acknowledge your cancellation request within 2 working days.

2.3 Condition of Returned Goods

To be eligible for a change-of-mind refund, goods must be:

Returned within 14 days of notifying us of your cancellation;
Unopened and in their original, undamaged packaging;
In a saleable condition, with all seals intact;
Free from signs of tampering or partial consumption.

We are unable to accept returns of opened, partially consumed, or tampered alcohol under any circumstances, as we are legally prohibited from reselling such products.

2.4 Return Postage (Change of Mind)

Where you are cancelling due to a change of mind, the cost of returning the goods to us is your responsibility. We strongly recommend you use a tracked, insured courier service, as we cannot be held responsible for goods lost or damaged in transit during a customer-initiated return.

Please do not send returns without first contacting us to obtain a Returns Authorisation Number (RAN). Unauthorised returns may be refused.

3. Faulty, Damaged, or Incorrect Items

3.1 Your Rights

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you have a right to goods that are of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described. If your order arrives faulty, damaged, or is not what you ordered, you may be entitled to a full refund, repair, or replacement.

3.2 Reporting a Problem

Please contact us as soon as possible, and in any event:

Within 48 hours of delivery for visible damage or breakage (please retain all packaging);
Within 30 days of delivery to claim a full refund for faulty or incorrect goods;
Within 6 months of delivery for faults that were not immediately apparent — we will offer a repair or replacement (or refund if neither is possible).

To report a problem, email hello@blackthistlespirits.com with your order number, a description of the issue, and photographs where relevant (especially for damaged packaging or broken bottles).

3.3 How We Will Resolve It

Where goods are confirmed as faulty, damaged in transit, or incorrectly sent, we will at our discretion:

Arrange collection of the affected goods at no cost to you;
Provide a full replacement at no additional charge; or
Issue a full refund including any delivery charges paid.

We aim to resolve all such complaints within 5 working days of confirmation.

4. Non-Delivery & Lost Orders

If your order has not arrived within the expected delivery timeframe, please contact us at hello@blackthistlespirits.com quoting your order number.

We will raise an investigation with our courier. Please be aware that courier investigations can take up to 10 working days to conclude. Once a parcel is confirmed as lost, we will offer you:

A full replacement dispatched at no cost to you; or
A full refund including your original delivery charge.

We ask that you allow the full estimated delivery window to pass before reporting a non-delivery, as parcels occasionally experience minor delays, particularly to remote Highland and Island addresses.

5. Refused or Failed Deliveries (Age Verification)

Where delivery is refused on age grounds or because no adult was available to accept the parcel:

The goods will be returned to us;
We will refund the cost of the goods only — original delivery charges will not be refunded;
A re-delivery charge will apply if you wish us to resend the order.

We strongly encourage you to ensure that a person aged 18 or over is available to receive and provide ID at the time of delivery.

6. Items Not Eligible for Return or Refund

The following are excluded from our returns and refund policy unless the item is faulty or not as described:

Opened, partially consumed, or tampered bottles or containers;
Personalised, bespoke, or specially engraved products;
Gift hampers or mixed cases where individual items have been separated or consumed;
Products that have been misused, stored incorrectly, or damaged after delivery;
Items returned outside the 14-day cancellation window (change of mind);
Digital gift vouchers or e-gift cards once redeemed.

7. How & When Refunds Are Issued

7.1 Method of Refund

All refunds will be issued to the original payment method used at the time of purchase (e.g., debit card, credit card). We are unable to issue refunds via a different payment method or as cash.

7.2 Refund Timescales

Once a refund has been approved and (where applicable) returned goods have been received and inspected, we will process your refund within the following timescales:

Cancellation / change of mind: within 14 days of receiving the returned goods, or 14 days from the date you provide evidence of having sent the goods back, whichever is earlier;
Faulty, damaged, or incorrect items: within 5 working days of confirming the issue;
Lost orders (confirmed by courier): within 5 working days of confirmation.

Once processed, please allow a further 3–5 working days for the refund to appear in your account, depending on your bank or card provider.

7.3 Partial Refunds

In some circumstances, we may offer a partial refund — for example, where only some items in an order are affected, or where goods are returned in a condition that has diminished in value. We will always communicate clearly before processing any partial refund.

8. Step-by-Step Returns Process

To return an item, please follow these steps:

Contact us at hello@blackthistlespirits.com with your order number and reason for return.
We will issue you a Returns Authorisation Number (RAN) and provide return address details.
Pack the items securely in their original packaging, including the RAN on the outer packaging.
Send the parcel using a tracked and insured courier service (for change-of-mind returns). Keep your proof of postage.
Once we receive and inspect the goods, we will confirm your refund or replacement by email.

Returns sent without a RAN may be delayed or refused. Please always obtain authorisation before sending goods back to us.

9. Complaints & Escalation

If you are unhappy with how your return or refund has been handled, please contact our Customer Services team:

Emai: hello@blackthistlespirits.com

We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and aim to resolve it within 14 working days. If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you may refer it to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider. Details will be provided upon request.

Your statutory rights under Scots and UK consumer law are not affected by this complaints procedure.

10. Contact Us

For all returns and refund enquiries, please get in touch using the details below:

Email: hello@blackthistlespirits.com
Post: Unit 8A-8B, Brechin Business Park, West Road, Brechin, DD9 6RJ
Telephone: 01356 622844 – Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

This Delivery, Refund and Returns Policy was last updated on 23 March 2026.

Please drink responsibly.