UK bar targets tourists with new gin

A UK bar is targeting tourists by launching 1,000 bottles of its own gin featuring the winking face of Jane Austen.

The Canary Gin Bar in Bath, UK, has launched 1,000 bottles of its own gin

Produced by Peter Meacock, owner of The Canary Gin Bar in Bath, and mixologist Tim Wehelan, Bath Gin is made from 10 botanicals, including juniper, cassia, lemon peel, burnt orange peel, liquorice, cardamom, angelica, cubeb berries, wormwood and kaffir lime leaf.

Distilled by Thames Distillers in London, bottles of the first batch – known as the Canary Edition – are now available for purchase behind the bar at The Canary Gin Bar, as well as 50 litres of “loose gin” which will be used to create an array of cocktails.

“We have about 250 different types of gin on the premise and since we opened two years ago I have wanted us to create our own gin,” explained Meacock.

“It’s great that we can sell a gin we have made ourselves and unashamedly, we are aiming this towards the tourist market.

“Bath is a great place and very well known but you can’t get hold of anything that says it’s from Bath. This spirit will allow customers to take something home to remember their visit.”

The design features a winking Jane Austen, who based a lot of her books on Bath and was also known to enjoy a drink or two – particularly gin.

Bath distillery

Looking ahead, Meacock’s plans involve eventually open his own distillery in Bath within the next couple of years.

“We are already selling bottles and it is proving to be very popular,” he said. “At the moment we are stocking in The Tasting Room on Green Street in Bath and approaching a few other bars too.

“Our plans are massive though. We would like to make the type of gin you see on supermarket shelves and also do one with higher alcohol content at a more premium price.”

Bath Gin is bottled at 40% abv and has an RRP of £36.50 per 700ml bottle. Customers can also purchase a gift box of Bath Gin for £48 or a gift pack with two engraved coupettes for £64.