New festive gift pack from Copeland fruit gin

Copeland Gin, the only Northern Irish distiller of fruit infused gin, has launched special gift packs for the festive season.

The company, which is based at Saintfield in county Down, has introduced packs featuring a bottle of the gin with two inscribed glasses retailing at around £50.

The small company has two core gins - Rhuberry from rhubarb and blackberries and Raspberry and Mint. Copeland is committed to sourcing fruit from local suppliers.

In addition, the Northern Irish business has launched a seasonal Spiced Apple, Blackcurrant with Cinnamon gin which sells at around £60.

Gareth Irvine (24), who founded the business last year with Crowdfunding support, says: "The spiced apple is made from county Down apples and blackcurrants combined with cinnamon naturally infused in the premium spirit, macerated for seven days. Each batch is completed every few days and is filled by hand.

"The gin tastes of Christmas spice, mingled with fresh apples and blackcurrant, locked in with cinnamon. It tastes rich with blackcurrant fruit, spiced apple and cinnamon. The finish is long and fresh, with lasting and warming spiced fruits," he adds.

The fruit-infused gins were launched successfully at last week's Spirit Show in London. Copeland was one of just two gin producers from Northern Ireland taking part in the event. The unique gin is 37.8 percent proof.

Mr Irvine describes the launch at the show as "a great success that produced a number of business leads". "We'll be following these up over the next few weeks to turn them into firm business," he adds.