3 minute read
Allergico Drinks: Newbold Spirit
Many consider rum to be a distinctly Caribbean and Latin-American drink, but one distillery in Warwickshire is shaking up that perception.
Newbold Spirit was founded just outside of Leamington Spa by husband and wife team Victoria and Ian Black.
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With plaudits from the International Wine and Spirits Competition already under their belt, we just had to get in touch and ask what their secret to success is.
Why was Newbold Spirit set up?
The Newbold Spirit story starts in Scotland. A friend has a distillery on one of the Scottish Islands and he made it look fascinating, exiting and so cool to be doing something that is - well, really cool. One evening, around a beach campfire - we realised that with our combined skills in chemistry, hospitality, business and marketing - we could really start our own smallbatch rum and gin company.
What's your most unusual product?
Newbold Cherry Gin. Everyone thinks it’s going to be a sweet liqueur gin but are always pleasantly surprised to hear and taste that is a dry gin drink. We’ve used our London Dry Gin as a base and then blended it with gorgeous cherries. It has a smooth, clean juniper taste, followed by soft summer fruit. It is also fabulously pink!
How do you work out what products to make?
When we launched, we chose products that we really wanted to drink ourselves, working hard on creating a taste that pleased our palettes. Interestingly, the tricky work was ensuring that our brand matched our products. As we have progressed and grown, we are having to be a lot more savvy and consider the market place.
What has the reception to your gin and spirits been?
All of our drinks have achieved a silver award at the IWSC20 & the International Drinks Specialists; in fact, our London Dry Gin was just three points off a gold award. Knowing that our drinks have been judged highly has given a huge amount of confidence.
Do you have any serving suggestions for your drinks?
We have serving suggestions for all our drinks – we’ve tried lots to ensure a good pour!
• Newbold Cherry Gin & Elderflower tonic (when cherries are in season – pop a cherry into each segment of an ice cube tray and a slither of fresh mint, this makes fantastic ice cubes!)
• London Dry Gin, Fever Tree tonic water, quarter of a slice of grapefruit to garnish and ice.
• Newbold Spiced Rum with classic Coca Cola or Ginger-beer, ice and a slice of lime.
• Newbold Dark Rum – ice!
What are you most looking forward to about Christmas?
We love Christmas and have probably been talking about it since the day we came back from our Summer holidays! It’s all about the food and drink for us. It’s the best feeling to have a table laden with delicious goodies surrounded by your loved ones.
For the last few years, we’ve created our own little tradition – mid November, we host a Christmas Dinner - the whole shebang, for our friends who we won’t get time to see over Christmas. Mid November, we’ll be squashed around our kitchen table, eating too much, pulling crackers and laughing at our £5 gifts. I can’t wait!
What's your favourite thing about Christmas?
The whole family watching a goofy Christmas film, passing the chocolates around and sipping cider and rum hot toddies. In my imagination, it’s snowing outside……
