What did you do before launching G&H and your Initial Gin range? For 20 years I had a successful career in the ‘live’ events industry which came to a staggering halt, literally overnight when the pandemic hit. Due to the lifestyle that goes along with the industry, like so many others, I felt a deep loss, almost a bereavement. I’d not only lost my income, but I thrived on the fast-paced lifestyle and was genuinely passionate about the industry I was involved in.
What made you decide to create your gins, and what's the inspiration behind them? After the realisation hit home that events weren’t coming back anytime soon, I half-heartedly started applying for jobs. I quickly realised I needed to throw myself into something I could be passionate about again, so I took my life savings and ploughed them into creating a spirits brand that not only produced an exceptional gin, but was based on the strong brand values I personally believed in. The gins are bold, direct and uncompromising. This is a gin people can choose with confidence and our awards prove that it tastes as good on the inside as it looks on the outside. The name of our range of Initial Gins work in a number of ways, as does our strapline ‘it’s what we stand for’. The three initial concept came from my nickname, KOH and the gins all have three initials too, making it easy to find your favourite and remember it. Can you tell us more about the distillery you work with? The distillery is based up in Essex, where they use traditional copper stills. They distil our gins from scratch, which means making their own spirit. They are one of only a few distilleries in England to do this - it’s a costly and time consuming process, but necessary in pursuit of making the finest spirits, which is why we chose to work with them.  What have been the biggest challenges and achievements so far? The challenge; labels! No one told me how challenging this would be – in fact we had to run our first lifestyle photoshoot without bottles as the labels weren’t ready due to Brexit delays. Undoubtedly the biggest achievements have been our awards. It was a real honour to compete amongst long established brands and come out as a strong contender. How would you describe your gins in 3 words? Bold, direct and uncompromising. What's your favourite way to drink your gins? Each has their recommended signature serve which are all delicious, yet very different:
 Which gins would you always have on your gin shelf (other than your own of course!)?
A couple of years ago I was working in Cannes and was introduced to 44°N (I think whenever possible it’s always great to try local and unusual spirits). The packaging is fabulous and the taste is divine. Definitely one for a special occasion. What's next for you and G&H - any exciting plans? We’ve been well received so far within the gin community and are looking to develop the brand further, including diversifying into other spirits eventually. You might also like...
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