SB Meets… James Chase, Chase Distillery

As Chase Distillery prepares to bring its inaugural whisky to market, head ambassador James Chase talks about the firm’s journey from the fields of Herefordshire to the international spirits scene.

James Chase is head ambassador at Chase Distillery in Herefordshire, UK

How has Chase Distillery grown in the years since it was founded?

It’s been a rollercoaster of a decade since the first bottle rolled off the bottling line in 2008. We set out to challenge the status quo of the spirits industry by adopting our unique field-to-bottle process using the potatoes grown on the farm to distill into vodka and then gin. This hasn’t changed.

However, when we built the distillery, there were draconian laws in place, which we had to adhere to in order to gain a licence to produce alcohol. These laws forced us to install a still that was certainly larger than we would need for some time. Six months later, the government implemented a change in legislation, allowing distillers to redistill alcohol in far smaller stills, which subsequently paved the way to the gin boom.

The barriers to entry were therefore reduced and gin could be made through ‘compounding’, which involves buying in neutral grain spirit and re-boiling the liquid with a selection of botanicals to impart the essence of gin. It’s a different process to that which we adopt, where we craft the spirit from scratch – but it’s created some friendly competition, which is no bad thing.

Now, after 11 years of distilling, our once ‘oversized’ stills – affectionately named Maximus and Fat Batty – are reaching capacity and we’re distilling 24/7. It’s a nice problem to have because it shows demand for the brand is growing, but it does mean we have to make significant investments in our equipment to ensure we can keep bottles on the shelves.

How have you seen the spirits market change in that time?

As with any industry you need competition to increase conversations around what you’re doing. We’ve certainly seen that with more spirit producers now in England than Scotland. When we attended our first consumer events back in 2008 and 2009, the interest from the majority of the public about spirits simply wasn’t there. Fast forward 10 years and drinkers are selecting their preferred tonic, glass, garnish and gin.

The rise of social media has fuelled exposure and now what you drink is seen as important as other experiences you share on Instagram. However, social media from a brand side has the ability to spread ‘fake news’ and it’s now even easier to portray yourself as ‘craft’ or small-scale when you are in fact having your gin distilled by large manufacturer. Thankfully, consumers are now savvier, which means the right questions are being asked of producers.

How is your whisky production coming along?

We have more than 500 barrels now in store and the unique atmospheric conditions of the distillery mean we can experiment by ageing different casks at different temperatures. The mash bill is a local Maris Otter barley and we are looking to brew the entire process in house by the end of the year. We obviously built the distillery to make vodka, which we then redistill to make our gin, but I’m really excited for this whisky project to come to fruition. It’s been a long time in the making and we haven’t rushed to market. I hope we’ll release our fist drop before the year’s out.

Is English whisky differentiated from Scotch? Is there scope for the category to grow?

I think it’s the same as Champagne and English sparkling wine. Making a particular spirit purchase has really moved on over the last five years, and consumers are increasingly buying into brand names as opposed to categories – take Ketel One Botanical as a great example.

Japanese whisky is everything right now because distillers are creating exceptional spirits with fastidious attention to detail. I hope that over time England can host such acclaimed distillers and folk don’t rush to realise their first drop. As opposed to making gin, for which most producers simply buy in neutral grain spirit, whisky is an art and is harder to get into. But I do see huge growth – buying local isn’t going away any time soon and there is a growing sophisticated crowd out there.

What challenges do you face as an independent producer?

Chase is at an interesting crossroads. We are still independent and family-owned, but despite having matured from a start-up, we still have the same problems of being outmuscled financially, whether that’s to feature on a cocktail list or for space on retailers’ shelves.

Our lack of a portfolio is sometimes a limitation, but it’s something we are increasingly looking to build. Our team continue to tell our story and build relationships with serious operators who want to champion spirits with pedigree. The biggest challenge is to grow internationally. With the rise of local competition from both large and small players around the world, it is incredibly tough to get our message across without lots of boots on the ground or vast marketing budgets.

Are you worried about Brexit?

From a logistics perspective, it’s obviously something we have planned for, ranging from potential currency fluctuations to supplies being held up at the border, but we should have everything covered. Our glassware is now made in the UK, which is a major change we have been planning for some time, and given the current circumstances and potential hold-ups getting glassware from Europe, we’re pleased to have made the switch.

From a branding standpoint, we might want to question our level association with the Union Jack. While we’re as proudly British as ever, we don’t want to politicise our spirits.

You’re very open about your production processes – does the spirits industry need more transparency?

Now I’m a huge advocate for the many varieties of gin you can find today, both those produced in the UK and from the far flung corners of the world. But as you may have guessed, I’m passionate about distilling from scratch and undertaking the whole process, from field to bottle. It takes a lot of work to ferment and distill the raw ingredient, instead of merely rectifying or compound distilling from a bought in grain spirit. But we think it’s worth it.

So yes, the world is more awash with gins than ever before, but as we celebrate the buoyancy of the British gin industry, it’s important that gin lovers are aware of just how much craft has gone into each bottle – sometimes a little more in some than in others. The industry will always need more transparency, but ultimately this will come in time. Social media and distillery tours will certainly help.