SB meets… Jack Savoretti, Portofino Dry Gin

English singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti on bringing Italian brand Portofino Dry Gin to the world.

Why did you decide to invest in Portofino Dry Gin?

Everything about Portofino and me has always been serendipitous. I have come and gone from it so many times in my life, that when it calls me back, like the ‘faro’ (lighthouse) itself, I know that’s where I want to be. Just like the people of Portofino always have, the Portofino gin family welcomed me with open arms.

I do not take lightly the responsibility we are carrying, taking a little bit of Portofino around the world for people to taste, but I know the founding members feel the same responsibility, and will honour Portofino for all its majesty in Portofino Dry Gin.

What is your involvement with the brand?

I am strongly involved across the creative aspects of the brand. Art and music are a big part of my experience with Portofino, and I hope we can give people that same experience with Portofino Dry Gin.

How does the brand plan to communicate its heritage in Portofino?

Portofino is a destination that makes people dream. We want to show the real Portofino, the people who live there and bring it to life. More than a postcard, we see our brand as a door that opens to the secrets of our village.

This year we published the first series of three micro‐documentaries on the iconic places and characters of our universe, which will continue in 2023. We produced a series of ‘zero‐kilometre’ cocktails in collaboration with Ligurian mixologist Paolo Gastaldo, bar manager at the prestigious Belmond Spendido Mare, located in Portofino’s piazzetta. We are also organising an exclusive tour of our village, our estate and the few secret places we have access to.

Will you feature in any marketing/advertising campaigns?

More than being the face of the brand, I like to support our business organically by spreading the word about our gin. Before my shows we do the Portofino Dry Gin sound check and people love it. I might make a few surprise appearances in our next campaigns though.

How do you intend to make Portofino a lifestyle brand?

The aim of Portofino Dry Gin is to convey the Portofino lifestyle to the public. We think of our gin as the sail of the ship that carries us closer to our vision. It allows us to transport our consumers to an idyllic place in one sip. Everything we do next, such as collaborations with fashion brands, is part of the journey. This complements the experience we are trying to offer.

What’s in store in the year ahead?

Commercially, 2022 is a milestone year. We are seeing tremendous interest in the US for premium Mediterranean gins like ours, which has translated into good sales results in some key states.

In the UK, we recently signed an agreement with Boutique Brands, a high‐ end importer with a long track record of importing top‐quality Italian spirits. This is an important step in our expansion strategy. We are present in 33 markets, and I’m convinced that our gin will be very appealing to Americans and Brits who have a soft spot for Italy, and are looking for something special.

We are taking action to reduce our environmental footprint. We recently decreased the amount of glass used in the manufacture of our bottle, saving several tonnes of material and lowering our transport and therefore greenhouse gas emissions.

We also have fun exploring the latest trends. We recently created a virtual reality experience in Portofino. In the coming year we will launch other innovative projects that will surprise you.