Salcombe Gin partners with RNLI

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has teamed up with Salcombe Gin to launch a commemorative expression to celebrate the charity’s 200th anniversary.

Launching today (29 September), the new classic London Dry gin, called Four Seas, has been created to ‘help to save lives at sea’, with 10% of the net price of each bottle sold donated to aid the ‘vital’ work of the RNLI.

Co-founder and director of Salcombe Distilling Co, Angus Lugsdin, commented: “Spending years working at sea and having grown up learning to sail in Salcombe and watching with fascination as a child when the Salcombe Lifeboat was called out, it’s hard to express just how thrilled I am about the collaboration between Salcombe Gin and the RNLI.

“Having spent years offshore and undergoing sea survival training myself, I have the utmost respect for the RNLI and its dedicated volunteers who generously devote their time to safeguarding and rescuing lives at sea, ensuring a safer environment for us all.”

The collaborative gin is said to be a celebration of the ‘British and Irish coastal community spirit’.

It draws inspiration from the journey taken from the Devon-based distillery to the point where the four seas that surround the UK – the Atlantic Ocean, Irish Sea, English Channel, and North Sea – all meet.

It has been created using four key botanicals: lemons smoked over Scottish whisky barrel wood chips; sea buckthorn sourced from where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Cornish coast; sugar kelp foraged from the Irish Sea; and elderberries from Wales.

This combination results in notes of zesty fresh lemon, smoky citrus and classic juniper on the nose, followed by a citrus tang and sweetness from the sea buckthorn with underlying floral and earthy layers on the palate.

The finish is described as smooth, rich and warming, with a slightly saline finish, reminiscent of the gin’s coastal influence and origin.

Mark Dowie, chief executive of the RNLI, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with Salcombe Gin and welcome their kind support.

“For nearly 200 years, the RNLI has been saving lives at sea. All of the essential training and equipment for our lifeboat crews and lifeguards is only possible because of the donations we receive from our generous partners and supporters. Our partnership with Salcombe Gin will raise vital funds to help us continue our lifesaving work.”

Four Seas joins the Devonshire distillery’s portfolio, which includes Salcombe Gin Start Point, Salcombe Gin Rosé Sainte Marie, Salcombe Gin Start Point — Offshore Strength, and its exclusive Voyager Series.

The new gin is priced at RRP £39.50 (US$48) per 700ml bottle, and clocks in at 40% ABV.

In July, Salcombe Distilling Co unveiled its latest seasonal small batch release: Victuallers Special Edition ‘Liquore Citrodora’ limoncello liqueur.