EXCLUSIVE
By Erikka Askeland
Two Borders-based brothers are adding a new twist to a family tradition of innovating Scotland’s most traditional
of drink products.
David and Dominic Tait have launched a new vermouth – a classic staple of the cocktail cabinet – that uniquely blends raw malt spirit made for whisky with Italian wine.
The concoction, which they have dubbed Valentian Vermouth, sources new-make barley spirit from the Borders Distillery, which was set up by the brothers’ father and his business partners in 2018.
Father George Tait was a former company secretary of William Grant
& Sons and later one of the
founder-directors of Innis & Gunn beer. Mr Tait has since passed away.
Both brothers – Dominic, 33, and David, 34 – grew up around the industry, which is what inspired them to try something different.
“The Borders Distillery was founded by my brother and late father,” said younger brother Tait who followed in his father’s footsteps after a brief stint in banking to work with drinks brands including William Grant.
“We wanted to do something new
and interesting and do things our
own way. It is great to do something
for yourself. We wanted to strike out
on our own.”
Vermouth, an aperitif, can be served
on its own, with tonic, or in more complex drinks like negronis. The brothers, who set up their own company Pinappl to run the business, identified that vermouth is having a bit of a moment – with demand for local vermouth growing in Spain and Italy, as well as the key US market.
Recently Diageo acquired a German vermouth brand, Belsazar. It was the drinks giant’s first acquisition of a product that had been developed in its Distill Ventures start-up accelerator.
He said that their Valentian Vermouth introduces a new product to the Scottish drinks cabinet and is also complementary to the world’s fastest-growing drinks category, gin.
He said: “There has been fantastic growth in Scottish drinks. There’s
more and more whisky distilleries opening and loads of amazing gins. Obviously, there is potential for
‘peak gin’ to have been reached. Although there are still some great ones coming on-line.
“We wanted to create a produce that complemented gin and gin cocktails and a great lower ABV alternative to gin, whisky, vodka, whatever.”
He added: “As far as we are aware no-one has used a barley-based spirit as part of the aromatisation and fortification process for vermouth.
“Mostly in France and Spain it is produced with a high-strength grape brandy distilled over 96%, so it is very neutral and they wouldn’t be adding
any flavour.
“We thought using another spirit and not just botanicals to add flavour would be a really interesting take.
“My brother and I are really passionate about the craft and expertise of Scotland. We have a great love of Italy as well.
“We thought we can create an international product and bring these two traditions together.”
So far, the brothers have invested their own savings to produce the first 4,000 bottles of Valentian Vermouth Rosso – a sweet, red expression of the drink.
It was made in Northern Italy by a family-owned drinks company, which Tait declines to identify, to a recipe and ingredients, including Scottish botanicals, provided by the Tait brothers.
They also have plans for a bianco (white) and secco (dry) versions.
Tait said Pineappl is committed to bringing production of Valentian Vermouth to the Scottish Borders and is working with agencies including Borders Council, Borders Gateway, and eventually, the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency to make it happen.
“We are bootstrap funding this,
and as and when it pays off we will grow,” he said.
“We are looking to bring some level of manufacturing to Scotland in the future, which is something we are talking to Borders Council and Gateway about – for locations and what kind of support we could get especially as the new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency starts.
“There’s loads of Scottish Government institutions and people in the Scottish drinks industry who have given us lots of advice on the journey.”
The Tait brothers have ambitious plans to use their experience and contacts to export to new markets, perhaps as early as later this year, Tait said.
Although the fledgling business relies on transport between Italy and the UK, he shrugs off the potential impact of Brexit.
“I don’t think business can grind
to a halt. We have to keep motoring
on and see what things are like in
a week’s time and again in a year’s
time,” he said.
However, he insists that their
Scottish-Italian hybrid drink should be adopted first in its homeland before conquering the world.
The company has been “seeding” the vermouth with knowledgeable bartenders and independent retailers who are best placed to share the story.
“Export is very much a part of our
plan for later this year,” said Tait. “But the important thing is Scotland and the UK is a global shop window for new drinks trends.
“It is really important for us to win
in our home market and be popular here as much as it is to grow overseas. So many drinks trends start in the UK.”
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