The UK’s newest distillery has started making its first barrels of rum, with bottles going on sale at the end of next month.
The team at DropWorks Distillery have spent three years preparing for their first drop of spirit to come out of their base at Welbeck, near Worksop, in Nottinghamshire. The operation is being overseen by head distiller Shaun Smith who has already launched a number of UK distilleries.
DropWorks was founded by owner Lewis Hayes, who has been in the drinks industry for 18 years. From working in bars, he went on to open a number of venues around the world with his consultancy the London Bar Consultants, including an award-winning cocktail bar and one that was once described as “the best stocked rum bar in London”.
He said the Welbeck rum distillery was already the biggest in Europe, with capacity to produce up to 10 barrels a day. The bespoke copper equipment used is the first of its kind in Britain, and the whole thing will be open to the public for tours and tastings.
Mr Hayes said: “DropWorks is a fresh face in the category, and is all about bringing rum into the modern era.
“We stand out – you can see this across everything we do, just look at our packaging for example.
“We have a strong identity centred around fun and we are proud of the quality in our production in our own distillery in Britain. We can’t wait for you to try it and see for yourselves.”
The distillery has been supported by Invest in Nottingham business expansion specialist James Mann.
He said: “We were thrilled to help Lewis and the DropWorks team secure their brilliant location in Welbeck.
“Bringing the largest rum distillery in Europe to Nottinghamshire is a great story to add to our local narrative and will create further jobs for people in the region.
“Nottinghamshire traditionally has a strong food and drink sector, and a thriving hospitality industry in the city centre. To add a local and high-quality rum to our offering is a fantastic opportunity that further cements our reputation in the industry.”
The first bottles will be available from DropWorks.co.uk on April 24.
