The Isle of Wight Distillery has marked a decade of its Mermaid spirits range with a packed celebration at the Sugar Store in Shepards Marina, Cowes.
Guests at the venue enjoyed entertainment, including acrobatic displays and dance performances by Arts with Alicia. The event brought together those who have contributed to the brand’s success over the past 10 years.
Produced on the Isle of Wight at the distillery in Pondwell, the Mermaid range includes 3 gins, a salt vodka and a spiced rum. Over the last year alone, 450,000 bottles have been produced, with 3 million bottles leaving the distillery since its launch.
To mark the occasion, a limited 10th anniversary edition of the original Mermaid Gin has been crafted at 46% proof. This special edition doubles the amount of rock samphire and includes fig leaves sourced from Ventnor Botanic Gardens. It was launched in London the evening before the Cowes celebration.
Co-founder Xavier Baker explained how he and Conrad Gauntlett, known for Rosemary Vineyard, became part of the second wave of artisan British gin makers. After many experimental recipes, they created the gin that has become so popular today. Securing HMRC approval was a major challenge during the early days, but once production began, the first case of Mermaid Gin at 42% was sent to the Portsmouth Gin Festival.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, including Conrad being stranded in New Zealand, the distillery adapted by producing ‘Wight Wash’ hand sanitiser, which was used by the NHS and the public.
Thanks to the efforts of sales director Malcolm McClellan, Mermaid now has 250 accounts and is marketed in 52 countries worldwide. The brand’s iconic ‘fish scales’ bottle, designed by Nicola Feletto from Treviso, Italy, has become instantly recognisable. Feletto attended the Cowes celebration to mark the milestone.
During Cowes Week, the Mermaid collection will be widely available across the town. The brand is also supporting two events at Northwood House, where visitors will be able to enjoy the Mermaid Lounge.
