What did you do before working with Puerto de Indias Gin? Personally, I have an extensive background working with FMCG, with a particular focus on cosmetics brands. My expertise in the beauty industry meant that I already had a deep knowledge about Puerto de Indias’ exact target audience: women aged 18-45 years old. As Puerto de Indias is such a much-loved and aspirational brand here in Spain, it fills me with so much joy seeing our engaged and loyal customers opting to sip on the gin in bars, restaurants and purchasing the bottle at home, time and time again. What is your role as Global Consumer Director at Puerto de Indias? My main objective as Global Consumer Director at Puerto de Indias is to convince consumers to try our product just once; and then the magic is done. On the contrary of what many people think, when we talk about gin, Puerto de Indias is unique. Our original strawberry flavour is different to any other competitor and consumers fall in love with its sweet, natural and fruity taste - and this is the secret to our success. Now my challenge is to be able to transmit this love story and bring the Spanish Spirit to the UK market. What is the history of the Puerto de Indias brand and distillery? The story of Puerto de Indias blossomed from two Sevillian brothers’ love for their land and its long-standing tradition of liqueur-making. After hearing about the financial struggles of one of the region’s oldest distilleries, and having always dreamed of owning a business, the brothers decided to take a risk and save the struggling Los Alcores de Carmona, one of the oldest and most traditional distilleries in Andalusia. What is the story behind Puerto de Indias Strawberry Gin? Initially, the intention was to macerate fresh strawberries in alcohol and sell the product to local patisseries. When spring came, however, the heat in Seville presented a unique opportunity: the pressed strawberries had diluted themselves into the alcohol, colouring it pink. Hence, a beautiful accident was born. Guided by intuition and passion, they set forth to make a spirit that no-one had seen before. In distilling the diluted strawberries, they created the original strawberry gin, made completely from natural ingredients. Tried first by their family and friends, the thirst for Puerto de Indias spread and spread until, today, it is loved by gin-drinkers across the world. Can you tell us more about the Puerto de Indias distillery and still? One of the oldest and most traditional distilleries in Andalusia, Los Alcores de Carmona is nurtured by an underground spring originating from Roman times. The water it provides serves to create microclimate conditions inside the distillery, which, along with the two century-old copper stills, have made Puerto de Indias gin one of the most authentic, and high-quality gins in Spain. Today, the site pays homage to both its historic roots and its young customer base, evidenced by the sympathetic mix of historical, Roman architecture and splashes of pink, modern murals. Can you tell us more about the distillation process and botanicals? Puerto de Indias Strawberry Gin is distilled from freshly picked local Strawberries and, of course, juniper berries. This carefully balanced combination is what gives Puerto de Indias its trademark pink colour, sweet and delicious flavour and light, citrusy finish. Firstly, the raw materials are added to the still and macerated for one week. Once this is complete, the mixture is distilled for three hours, in a process which requires meticulous temperature control, in order to allow the still to take on heads and tails from distillation. After the gin has cooled, the leftovers of the strawberries are collected in carafes and cleaned. What can visitors experience if they visit the distillery for a tour and tastings? Accompanied by the soft pink glow of the distillery buildings, and the soothing sound of the natural spring on site, any visit to the Puerto de Indias distillery is guaranteed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Guests are invited to take part in an hour-and-a-half long guided group tour, taking in everything from the fermentation process all the way through to the finished bottle. The tour ends in the distillery’s bar, where there is the chance to taste and purchase products. Currently, tours are run at the discretion of the distillery team, though this is set to change very soon.” What have been the biggest challenges and achievements so far? Puerto de Indias is a brand ‘created’ by our consumers. Through word of mouth, they have helped spread the love for Puerto de Indias across the globe, and succeeded in taking it from a local Spanish spirit to the #2 Strawberry Gin worldwide, second only to industry giant, Gordon’s Pink Gin. Today, the power of social media is equally inspiring. It brings the team great pride to see consumers supporting, talking about, and enjoying Puerto de Indias gin in some of their happiest moments. How would you describe Puerto de Indias Gin in 3 words?
Original, natural, delicious. What's your favourite way to drink Puerto de Indias Strawberry Gin? The Puerto de Indias Perfect Serve is as follows:
Which gins would you always have on your gin shelf (other than your own of course!)? Gin Raw – a local Spanish gin that is particularly distinguished in the spirits world, and Ellers Farm Distillery Y-Gin – a sustainable brand from North Yorkshire that is part of their Small Batch Spirits range, which focuses on unique and seasonal flavours. What's next for Puerto de Indias Gin - any exciting plans? It’s an immensely exciting time for the Puerto de Indias brand. Having already experienced great success and popularity in Spain, Puerto de Indias is now expanding in the UK market too. Research shows that fond memories and bronzed bodies aren’t the only thing that British consumers bring back from their holidays – it’s the taste for the Spanish spirit too – with a resounding 74% of Brits looking for gin brands they’ve tried on holiday when they return home, to help them extend that ‘holiday feeling’ for longer. In particular, the Strawberry flavour is a popular choice amongst the Brits, having been voted as the UK’s favourite gin flavour, especially amongst the younger demographic, with over half of 18-24-year-olds rating it as their favourite flavour. Along with the original Strawberry flavour, we recently introduced our popular Blackberry flavour to the UK market, launching at the perfect time to meet increased demand for autumnal and wintery flavours as we head into the colder months. With rich and fruity blackberry notes on the nose, underlined by delicate hints of violet caramel and a fresh, citrusy background, our new Blackberry gin flavour offers consumers just that – a unique and authentic taste of Spain, back in their home country. Next year, we expect to further grow our listings here in the UK market and introduce even more of our fruity and delicious flavours as the demand for the Spanish spirit continues to grow. You Might Also Like...
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