Heart of England News
Shakespeare Distillery Launches a New Rum!
Shakespeare Distillery has launched a new and unique White Rum named ‘Jester’ to accompany their portfolio of handcrafted premium products on Friday 2 April. The independent artisan spirit producer based in Stratford-upon-Avon has successfully been distilling Gin for the last five years on their own premises. Their products are inspired by the Tudor period, which is ingrained in the history of the town, being known worldwide as the birthplace of William Shakespeare.
The name ‘Jester’ is taken from the famous sculpture of a Jester which sits in Henley Street, just yards from Shakespeare’s Birthplace. Almost all of Shakespeare's jesters were fond drinkers, and known to be bold, memorable, and popular characters - the ideal traits for a new British-made spirit.
Whilst the gin boom in the UK continues there are signs that the rum market is starting to grow at a faster rate. According to the WSTA (Wine & Spirit Trade Association) report 2019, UK consumers bought 35 million bottles of rum in the last recorded 12 months to June 2019. This was worth £1billion with a third of these sales taking place in pubs, bars and restaurants.
Most of the rum on sale in the UK has in fact been imported. Distilling rum requires patience, experience, and a palette for perfection which is why many British rum distillers choose to import their base spirit before spicing it themselves. Shakespeare Distillery are one of only a handful of distilleries in the UK to create their rum in its entirety onsite. The big misconception with rum is that it is assumed that the alcohol and flavour are both created during the distillation process – this is not the case! Gin gets it flavour from being distilled with botanicals whereas rum’s unique flavour and alcohol comes from fermentation.
By importing their base rum, a distillery will have no control over the flavour of the fermentation. Shakespeare Distillery’s own fermentation is a 7-day process in which the unique combination of yeast, water and sugar creates both flavour and alcohol, bubbling away slowly in ‘Titania’, their new aptly named fermenter.
The distillers skillfully and meticulously ferment sugar cane molasses to craft this base. By using molasses, a superior and more characterful flavoured rum can be produced. The rum is then distilled twice producing a final bottled white rum of 40% ABV. The rum combines tropical fruits with a hint of citrus and buttery smooth molasses make for a rich, yet mildly sweet finish. The rum can be enjoyed sipping neat or alternatively as a rum cocktail.
The rum is available in three bottle options and is priced at £34 for a 50cl bottle, £17.50 for a 20cl bottle and £6 for 5cl bottle. These can be purchased online or from the distillery shop for click and collect and customer visits. Free delivery is offered within the UK on all orders over £35. Purchases can also be made at Shakespeare Distillery’s own Stratford town centre shop at No 1 High Street from 12 April. Shakespeare Distillery are also offering businesses the opportunity to create and bottle their own small batch craft Rum using their equipment at their distillery including delivery. Those interested in stocking the rum in their bar, restaurant, club or shop, or to arrange a tasting, request pricing and/or place an order please email sales@shakespearedistillery.com
Peter Monks, Director at Shakespeare Distillery said “Having established our business five years ago, our Gins have gone from strength to strength. We are passionate about experimenting with quality spirits and wanted to create a new spirit that was different and bold. We are delighted to launch our first brand of premium, handcrafted White Rum. I am so proud of the entire team, who have worked hard during a year of lockdowns, to produce this truly delicious Warwickshire made Rum. We’re very much looking forward to our loyal customers and stockists getting to taste it and I know they won’t be disappointed!”
Shakespeare Distillery will also be launching a spiced Rum in mid-May and have begun aging Rum in barrels for release at a later date. The distillery aims to establish themselves as a producer of UK Rum, both own brand and white labelled over the next 3 years.
This product release received grant support provided by Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) and was part financed by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the Coventry City Council Business Support Programme. Investment was also provided from Warwickshire County Council's Adapt and Diversify Fund.
Established in 2015 by Simon Picken and Peter Monks, Shakespeare Distillery is an independent artisan spirit producer based in Stratford upon Avon. Everything they produce is in small, handcrafted batches, ensuring they can devote time and attention to creating the best tasting spirits around. The range of award-winning gins are available to buy in many local wine and spirit outlets, bars, restaurants, and hotels, with a fast-growing range of stockists. The company also offers distillery tours to discover how gin is made as well as offering a gin school, shop, seasonal gin tasting river cruises and cocktail masterclasses. In February 2020, the company won the New Tourism Business Award in the West Midlands Tourism Awards for their destination distillery experiences. For more information about Shakespeare Distillery please visit www.shakespearedistillery.com/
