Liverpool’s favourite distillery will be back!!

Liverpool’s Turncoat gin distillery, which closed at the end of last year, has been rescued and is about to start producing its popular gin again.

Based in the Baltic Triangle, Turncoat Gin was started by Terry Langton six years ago, creating a range of gins and vodka which sold through retailers and in bars and restaurants across the UK.

It was also showcased in Turncoat venues at the Albert Dock and on Hope Street, giving fans a place to try out different varieties.

But the impact of the pandemic on hospitality hit the business hard, and in December Terry announced that, not only were the bars closed, but Turncoat had decided to distil its last run and the distillery was being dismantled.

Now what was sad news for gin lovers has been turned around by Edward Ridding, who has stepped in to buy the distillery and rescue the brand and its craft spirits.

He’s aiming to get the bestsellers back out on shelves within weeks, and he’s got plans to expand Turncoat so there are more ways for people to enjoy it at home.

He explains: “I’ve known Terry since he began the brand and I had a bottle of his first ever product which I loved.

“When I saw he was closing down production I gave him a call just before Christmas and said I wanted to buy the distillery and keep that, the brand and the portfolio going. 

“As a huge fan of the brand and its products from day one, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to take the reins of the distillery and help secure its future.”

39-year-old Edward has a background in marketing and hospitality so he’s well-equipped to take on the challenge.

“I came to Liverpool for university, worked as a bartender and ended up as bar manager at Alma de Cuba, then I was head of design for Vimto soft drinks,” he says. “While I was there I was also a brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire gin so I’ve always worked in and around the spirits industry and this, to me, was the dream step – to get involved in a product and a brand.

“I’ve got a marketing background, I’ve had my own marketing agency for the last 12 years, so now rather than working on other people’s brands, I’m working on my own.

“Part of my work with Bombay Sapphire was going through the process and understanding how it’s made, so I have got some experience in the practical side, but we’ve still got support from Terry to make sure the product is consistent which has been a godsend, and we’re looking to grow the team to meet demand.”

One of Edward’s first tasks is to reduce the portfolio down from a range of around 16 different products to a core of about six including a vodka which was a strong seller.

Turncoat was previously stocked in independent retailers across the North West and further afield and that’s something he’s intending to expand.

“This is a really good product, not just for Liverpool, and we want people to enjoy it as far and wide as possible,” he adds.

“It’s important to us that we have a two-pronged attack, so Turncoat is available through the trade -hotels, bars, restaurants and clubs – and we’re looking to launch things like cocktail kits for the home market and more of a grab-and-go element including ready-to-drink options like canned G&Ts and canned cocktails.”

Crucially, Edward’s intervention means that Turncoat won’t be lost for good.

“Terry and his team did an amazing job, they’ve delivered a product that the city loves and people love but if we hadn’t stepped in all their blood sweat and tears would have gone. 

“Our big goal at the moment is just to get Turncoat that people know and love back out there and on the shelves, changing as little as humanly possible, then further down the line we’ll look at putting our own stamp on the product.

“We’re waiting for licences to be finalised, but we’re hopeful that by the end of March/beginning of April everyone will be able to go out and enjoy Turncoat from our new batch.”

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