True North hoped to draw on its expertise in crafting its own Sheffield Dry Gin to showcase a new look for Leeds Gin and develop the recipe, including an update to the core range and the launch of several limited-edition variants.
The distiller reported sales of £12.9m in the 12 months to 1 April 2018 with pre-tax profits of £612,158 – up from a loss of £274,111 reported in the previous year. Its Sheffield Dry Gin was claimed to be the first of its kind to be distilled and bottled in the region in more than 100 years.
‘The next level’
Commenting on the purchase, True North Brew Co managing director Kane Yeardley said: “Ever since we got into the gin game, the two concepts we’ve always stuck by are quality and creativity.
“We want to develop exciting, new spirits that don’t compromise on flavour, that’s why we distil using traditional techniques and the best local ingredients that we can find.”
“When the opportunity came up to acquire Leeds Gin, it was a no-brainer for me. The brand has a really great following over in Leeds and I think there is so much opportunity to bring the expertise of our distillers to the brand and take it to the next level.”
Small batches
Established in 2015 by Sara Birkinshaw, Leeds Gin began appearing in Yorkshire bars and restaurants in March 2016. Made in small batches, the range consists of Leeds Gin Original, Minerva’s Garden, White Rose and the recently-released limited-edition Parma Violet.
Meanwhile, international wine and spirits producer Distell International has invested £10.5m in the Bunnahabhain Distillery on Islay, Scotland, as part of a three-year refurbishment programme.
As part of the upgrade, a number of the original buildings will be restored to their original condition, while others will be removed and relocated to create more space. Distell said the improvements would allow for better operational flow across the site.
