When we launched Batch Innovations back in January 2018, we had no idea just how exciting things would be or how quickly the ‘club’ would grow! As we’re almost ready to release the tenth spirit from the Innovations range, we thought it would be a good opportunity to reflect on what’s happened so far this year – and well, what a year it has been!
2018 – the highlights!
The first half of the year saw us release spirits inspired by Chinese Botanicals, Lancashire’s first Rum, a Batch take on an overproof Navy Gin and some of our more ‘out there’ gins, like our green coloured Absinthe Gin! It was also a great time of celebrations for us. We received tremendous recognition for the sprits being released from the Batch Innovations range. At the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition we were awarded a Bronze medal for Buddha’s Hand Gin. Over the moon with this, our jaws literally dropped when we were further awarded Double Gold and Best Gin medals for Batch Industrial Strength Gin. These awards placed Batch Industrial Strength Gin among the best gins in the world! Over the moon didn’t quite cut it.
Moving on, our Apprentice Distiller worked on his own Vodka which was released in May – how cool! The back end of the year has seen more unusual spirits released from the Batch Innovations range. This includes Batch Gin Rummy – a hybrid spirit – our gins barrel-aged in the same casks we aged our PX Sherry Cask Rum in. We’re now getting set to release our Halloween Potion and a couple of other cracking spirits before the year is out.
What’s Next?
Ok, so you’re right, we might have set the bar pretty high but we wouldn’t be Batch if we weren’t up for a challenge. Think more unusual flavour combinations, perhaps some re-works of our favourite releases and some more barrel aged beauties!
Head Distiller, Ollie, is more than ready to get his creative (Adidas) hat on and says “look out for more random ingredients and more awesome surprises – a year of Innovations has opened my eyes and mind”.
Throughout 2019 we’ll also continue to work with local artist, Bodie Cameron, who designs some of our Batch Innovations labels. Bodie is well up for the Batch challenge too, and we’ve set him off on some real projects for the year ahead. One of the first designs he’ll be working on is a the label for our savoury gin. We’re keeping schtum for now!
You can sign up to Batch Innovations here.
