Construction has begun on the Thomas Dakin Gin Distillery, Manchester’s much-anticipated new city centre gin distillery and visitor experience, which is set to showcase the rich heritage, craft excellence and entrepreneurial spirit of both the award-winning Thomas Dakin Gin and the city of Manchester.
Located in the heart of the city centre between Deansgate and Albert Square, the new craft distillery will invite visitors to discover the North West’s unrivalled gin heritage and the vibrant craft scene that’s alive and well in Manchester today, thanks to the city’s passionate and talented entrepreneurs.
Construction has commenced advised by Manchester-based agency, Love Creative, and architects, SSA, to create a visitor experience that will bring the craft gin distilling process to life for the thousands of visitors expected to visit each year. Taking pride of place behind the distillery’s impressive glass frontage will be three craft copper pot stills, with the brand’s focus on a commitment to quality distillation and craftsmanship. Alongside the working gin distillery, the venue will include a gin distillery bar, an event space for hospitality and entertaining. The distillery, which received full planning permission in 2018, will open in early Autumn this year.
The new distillery will continue the legacy of Thomas Dakin, the 18th century visionary who pioneered the development and refinement of quality English Gin and set the benchmark for London Dry Gin in 1761. Inspired by his passion, commitment to craft and his entrepreneurial attitude, the team behind the new distillery plan to produce gins that Dakin would be proud to put his name to today, combining traditional techniques employed by Dakin himself centuries ago, with pioneering modern methods to break new ground in craft gin.
The Thomas Dakin Distillery is expected to become one of the city’s top new tourist attractions with 70,000 visitors expected in the first year. It will create more than 50 jobs and will have the capacity to produce over 1 million bottles of gin every year, ensuring the growing global demand for Thomas Dakin Gin, which is sold in many leading bars and retailers around the world, can be met, further reinforcing the brand’s status as the ultimate Super Premium Craft London Dry Gin.
Thomas Dakin has also been recognised for its outstanding quality, winning many leading international awards; its most recent include the Best British London Dry Gin in The Gin Masters 2018, a global competition judged by industry experts, and Best Gin in the prestigious The Grocer Drink Awards, the only competition to be judged by a mix of consumers and industry experts.
David Hume, Director of Thomas Dakin at brand owner, Quintessential Brands Group, comments; “At last, it’s happening – the Thomas Dakin Gin Distillery will soon be a reality! As the label on the bottle says, the Thomas Dakin Legacy lives on, but with this new distillery, we’re going to be breaking new ground in craft gin distilling and really championing the great craft heritage that Manchester has. Dakin was a true visionary of his day and the distillery will continue Thomas Dakin’s great gin-making legacy, while highlighting to the world the Northwest’s important place in the colourful history of gin.”
The outstanding quality of Thomas Dakin Gin is helping the brand to win legions of fans in the hospitality industry and amongst gin enthusiasts the world over. Leading chef, Aiden Byrne, who made history as the youngest person ever to earn a Michelin star at the age of 22 in 2002 and who recently opened the much-anticipated restaurant MCR in Manchester, is one of the leading names in the Manchester hospitality scene who is looking forward to seeing the Thomas Dakin Distillery open, commenting; “Gin is huge right now with so many on the market, but Thomas Dakin Gin stands heads and shoulders above the others for me. As a chef, I value the craftsmanship and passion that goes into making food and drink, and the skill and craftsmanship that goes into making Thomas Dakin is clear as day. I’ve no doubt the Thomas Dakin distillery is going to be another jewel in Manchester’s crown and I can’t wait to visit once it opens in the Autumn.”
ABOUT QUINTESSENTIAL BRANDS
Quintessential Brands owns an award-winning portfolio of world-class spirit brands, which is powered by a strong entrepreneurial vision and passion for innovation, backed by centuries of handcrafted distilling expertise.
Quintessential Brands Group was established in 2011 with the acquisition of G&J Distillers, the UK’s foremost gin distillery, which evolved from Thomas Dakin’s original 1761 operation and now produces an unrivalled quality gin selection. In Ireland, Dublin Liberties Distillery is our home of modern Irish whiskeys and First Ireland Spirits in Abbeyleix crafts award-winning Irish creams. Our French hub, L&L France, creates fine French fruit liqueurs, cognacs, brandies and vodka.
For more information, please contact the communications team at Quintessential Brands by e-mail: [email protected]
