Gin and rum business Spirit of Trent, in Fardon recognised on World Gin Day in the Philipines
A businessman took the chance to open his own craft spirits business and has gained international recognition as a result.
Ray Rose, started the Spirit of Trent two and a half years ago, producing high-quality gin and rum in Farndon.
Inspired by his friends in Cornwall, who opened a spirit business, Ray wanted to do something locally and produce “something really special,” he said.
On World Gin Day (June 8), the British Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines ordered several bottles from different gin businesses in the UK to mark the date.
The event included people from the government and VIP and each one had to try and rank the different brands in categories including the Best UK Brand, Best Gin and Second Best Gin.
The Spirit of Trent won all three awards.
“This is absolutely amazing, I have a passion to do things to the best possible and I wanted to produce something really special,” said Ray.
“I was ecstatic when we first heard. Even though I know what I am doing is right, getting that recognition is fantastic.
“Apparently our bottles were the first ones, if not the only ones, they ran out of on the day. It is a lovely feeling to know people enjoy what you work so hard on.”
The Spirit of Trent gin is made using the traditional method of copper pot distillation in small batches, using fine quality, specially selected botanicals combined with only pure water and alcohol.
The rum is made the traditional Caribbean way with alcohol derived from genuine Caribbean Sugar Cane, rather than molasses.
Before opening the spirits business, Ray was a shoe designer, having started his own business from scratch. He built it up until shoes were being exported to 60 countries around the world.
He produced shoes for famous people including Steven Spielberg, David Bowie and Beyonce and even members of the Russian ballet.
Years later after closing the shoe business and moving to the Mediterranean, he decided to return and open another business — Spirit of Trent.
He added: “I didn’t want to go backwards and do shoes again, that one was packed and I wanted to do something fresh, which is exactly what we are doing here.
“All my life, no matter how hard or how long, I will always keep going because I know if something is possible I can do it.”
Currently, the business supplies several places across the UK including English Heritage, Belvoir Castle and Hardy’s Farm shop in Farndon.
After this international prestige recognition, Ray aims to export overseas such as the EU, Philipines and Caribbean.
