HOW we enjoyed National Rum Day (August 16) at ToM, tots of the sugar-based nectar all round. Now it’s back to gin reality – the public still can’t get enough of the juniper-based spirit. Yet there’s always scope for fresh tweaks on the winning formula and two local distilleries have just launched their contributions.
Demand for flavoured gins is on the rise, with UK sales up by 457 per cent in the past year, we are told, and our nation’s sweet tooth is never far away, so step forward Didsbury Gin’s Tutti Frutti Gin Liqueur.
And there’s always that ‘Old Clubbers Never Let It Go’ nostalgia to tap into. Enter Manchester Gin – FAC51 The Haçienda, a collaboration with – guess who? – Peter Hook.
The former’s on sale at Aldi from August 22, priced £13.99, the latter is small batch and bespoke, available in limited-edition bottles featuring FAC51 inspired artwork, retailing at £36 for 50ml. You takes yer choice. We might just stick with the rum, preferably another local product, Diablesse.
Supermarkets are new territory for Didsbury Gin, whose brand is usually to be found in Selfridges and Harvey Nichols.
This gin liqueur has been developed in collaboration with restaurateur Simon Wood, who who won the 2015 BBC Masterchef title with his famous Tutti Frutti dessert. The aim has been to carry over its fresh lemon and subtle tropical fruit flavours into the recipe for Didsbury Gin, which secured Dragon’s Den investment.
It can be enjoyed as a sweet twist on the classic gin and tonic served with a generous slice of pink grapefruit and a twist of orange or go the extra mile by concocting a Tutti Frutti Spritz mixed with Prosecco and fresh grapefruit juice.
It was launched at Simon’s WOOD restaurant in First Street. He told us: "We’ve been big fans of Didsbury Gin from day on. I love to support local brands and when Liam and Mark asked if I wanted to collaborate with them, I couldn’t wait to make Tutti Frutti into a gin.
Tutti-Frutti literally translates as all the fruits. My dessert from the MasterChef final is my very own Citrus Tutti-Frutti. It’s made up of all the citrus fruit, lemon, lime, ruby grapefruit, vanilla & passion fruit. A great mix for a really tasty gin."
Celebrity status accompanies Manchester Gin – FAC51 The Haçienda, designed to “celebrate the city’s rich cultural spirit and lasting impact on house and dance music around the world.”
Manchester Gin distillers Seb Heeley and Jen Wiggins worked with Joy Division and New Order star Peter Hook to choose the key botanicals to give this gin its flavour. The zestiness from the lemon and lime peel is apparently a nod to the vibrant ‘acid house’ movement. Locally-foraged dandelion and burdock root add smoothness and depth.
The label, naturally features the classic Haçienda colours and design style with the clear front label revealing the limited-edition inner label. Both labels have been assigned their own ‘HAÇ’ numbers used in place of batch numbers (any later designs will have new HAÇ numbers). HAÇ13 uses the hallmark yellow and black stripes as the label backdrop and HAÇ15 uses the famous “Use Hearing Protection” poster image.