Adnams launches new two rye-based spirits

Adnams has launched two new spirits using rye grown on the farm owned by the company chairman.

The new lines comprise Rising Sun Gin and Rye Hill Vodka, which have gone on shelf at the brewing and distillery business’s chain of retail stores.

Both lines have been created by head distiller John McCarthy using rye grown at chairman Jonathans Adnam’s farm at Reydon, close to the distillery.

The vodka recipe uses using 80% rye which McCarthy said was a more complicated grain to work with but gave more depth and spice to the finished products than barley-made spirits. The resulting product was a smooth, rich spirit with a hint of pepper, in contrast to the all-barley derived Adnams East Coast Vodka.

“Rye Hill has subtle aromas of rye bread and spice on the nose, with a long, dry and spicy finish,” he said.

Meanwhile the London gin style Rising Sun gin contains Japanese Matcha tea and lemongrass among its botanicals to give an aromatic flavour.

“Due to the village’s position on the Suffolk Coast, our crop is amongst the first rye to catch the early morning rays as the sun rises above the North Sea. The spirits’ names were therefore natural choices: Rising Sun and Rye Hill,” McCarthey said. “Rye has been grown in Reydon for centuries and the village’s name is derived from the Old English words, Rey meaning Rye, and Don meaning Hill.”

The Southwold-based business operates a chain of retail shops in and around East Anglia in addition to its brewery and spirits business, with spirits and beer accounting for around 30% of sales. Head of retail Neil Griffin told db the retail side of the business was going “from strength to strength” and complemented its wider business. It is planning to expand from its current 13 shops over the next few years.

Last month the Suffolk-based retailer confirmed it was upping its focus on its own label wine range, with the addition of a new tier of premium wines this autumn.