Oxford Artisan Distillery offers shares to public

The Oxford Artisan Distillery is offering consumers the chance to buy shares in the business to help finance its production of rye whisky.

The Oxford Artisan Distillery is the ‘first’ distillery to open in the historic city

Consumers can buy shares for as little as £10 (US$13), with those who invest over £200 (US$261) receiving rewards such as spirit samples and distillery tours.

The distillery opened in July 2017 after years of planning and claims to be one of the only distilleries in the world to grow fields of heritage grain to produce its spirits.

The ‘grain-to-glass’ distillery currently produces Oxford Dry Gin and Oxford Rye Vodka, but it is hoped that the crowdfunding scheme will help finance the laying down of casks of heritage grain spirit to produce whisky. The distillery also plans to launch a gin this year.

Shares in TOAD will be available via Crowdcube and the distillery hope to raise £750,000 (US$981,000) to fund future expansion, including the development of a restaurant, bar and visitors centre.

Since launching in July, TOAD has achieved over £85,000 (US$111,000) in sales and its vodka and gin have made it onto the shelves in 75 bars across the UK.

Visitors to Oxford can tour the distillery and visit its on-site shop where bottles of Oxford Dry Gin (46%abv) and Oxford Rye Vodka (40%abv) are available to buy.

Shares will be available to buy until 8 December from www.crowdcube.com/toad