A small distillery in the heart of the Lake District is making big moves in the world of craft spirit production.
Sales of Grasmere Distillery’s gin products, Dry, Blood Orange and Pink Berry are soaring, making them the fastest growing craft spirit brand in the Lake District.
The distillery only began selling their gins to other stockists at the start of this year.
During an eight-month period there has been a surge in sales, from three bottles in January to over 400 bottles in August.
The gins are now available at over 40 locations across Cumbria and the achievement has delighted distillery owners, Paul and Beth Abbott.
Beth said: “We were confident we had a great product because our gins were proving so popular in our tap room in the centre of Grasmere village.
“But even we’ve been surprised at how quickly sales and distribution have grown. After an initial steady rise, sales really took off in July with a doubling of the number of stockists.
“Significantly, the distillery gained listings in the Westmorland Farm Shops at Tebay which has gained national recognition since appearing in the TV programme ‘A Lake District Farm Shop.’
Grasmere Distillery’s products can also be found at several key Cumbrian businesses including specialist retailers A Day’s Walk, Chestnut House, and Lakeland Artisan as well as on-trade locations like the Yan at Broadrayne and the Lake District Country Hotels group.
Paul believes the rapid growth in distribution is down to two key factors.
“Stockists appreciate that Grasmere Gins are 100% made and bottled in the famous Lakeland village by local people.
“And with everything done in-house, trade prices are kept lower than comparative products. Craft doesn’t need to mean expensive, and with the attention we give to the bottles, Grasmere Gins stand out on any shelf and has the appearance and taste of a premium-priced product.”
The Abbotts are confident they will be distributing over 600 bottles a month by Christmas and anticipate reaching up to 1,000 bottles per month by the summer of 2024.
