In a city known for port wine lodges and centuries-old cellars, Scoundrels Distilling Co. represents something newer: an urban craft distillery where visitors can see, taste, and even create their own spirits — all in Porto’s evolving Campanhã district.
Founded by Australian entrepreneur Travis Cunningham, the idea for Scoundrels began in 2015 during a trip to Cape Town. Tasked with sourcing a locally made rum for Dark ’n Stormys, he discovered there wasn’t one. That absence sparked a bigger ambition. The original concept of opening a craft brewery quickly shifted: why not build a distillery instead? And why not in Portugal — a country with deep fortified wine heritage and access to port barrels ideal for aging rum?
Cunningham and his team relocated to Porto and built the operation from the ground up, despite having no formal distilling background and navigating language barriers and pandemic delays. Today, Scoundrels produces Ruminate Pure Single Rum, finished in Portuguese fortified wine casks — including Port, Madeira, Moscatel, and Carcavelos — making it the first distillery in mainland Portugal to focus on this category. Alongside it sits Invicta Gin, a vapor-infused range that has earned international recognition, including a 91-point score and Silver Medal at London’s International Wine & Spirits Competition. At the London Spirits Competition, Scoundrels now holds three gins ranked among the top five Portuguese entries — including the only Gold Medal awarded to a Portuguese distillery.
For visitors, however, the real draw is the Gin School Masterclass. Over three hours, guests select botanicals, build a recipe, distill, bottle, and label their own gin — with tastings and snacks woven throughout. It’s immersive without being intimidating, technical without losing its social energy.
The name “Scoundrels,” inspired by George Bernard Shaw, is softened by the distillery’s unofficial mascot: a rescued Portuguese Water Dog named Eleven. Like the business itself, it blends international roots with a distinctly Portuguese identity.
In Campanhã — a district writing Porto’s next chapter — Scoundrels feels exactly where it belongs: modern, ambitious, and unapologetically hands-on.
For more information, visit the Scoundrels Distilling Co. website.
Scoundrels Distilling Co.
Praça da Corujeira 154-158
Campanha District
Porto
Phone: +351 914 208 078
Email: travis@scoundrelsdistilling.com
Masterclasses must be booked in advance. Groups only. €85 per person for three-hour experience. Tuesday to Saturday from 14:30