The Isle of Wight Distillery redesigns flagship gin
Mermaid Gin, from the Isle of Wight’s only distillery, has been redesigned to a new sculpted bottle, going plastic-free and switching to entirely recyclable materials.
The bottle makeover follows a year long research project backed by a private external investor.
The flagship spirit of the four-year-old Isle of Wight Distillery sees it presented in a “highly tactile” bottle with sculpted scales that reflect and refract light.
The scales swirl downwards around the bottle to resemble the tail of the eponymous mythical sea creature, while the colours mimic the gin-clear blues of the Mediterranean, down to the deep greens of Mid-Atlantic rollers. Tactility is enhanced by being weighted forward for easy handling by consumers and bartenders alike, and it has a flange for an “easy pour”.
Created by friends Xavier Baker (a brewer) and Conrad Gauntlett (a winemaker), the premium gin’s new look is described as “better complementing the liquid inside” and is expected to drive both distribution and sales.
In addition, the bottle is now 100% recyclable – decorated with biodegradable paint and featuring an all-natural cork with a wooden top and a paper seal. The distillery has also demanded all its suppliers accept new sustainability challenges – such as stopping the use of bubble wrap and sourcing alternatives at every stage of the production and distribution process.
Xavier Baker, co-owner and head distiller, said: “There’s now real style to our substance – this stunning bottle is the perfect showcase for what is a top quality gin. The investment has ensured that we can really push on – in a way that properly reflects our personally held environmental concerns.”
Mermaid is a hand-crafted small batch gin distilled since 2014 using 10 ethically-sourced botanicals. The Isle of Wight distillery also produces a Navy Strength gin, a rum and a vodka. It has ambitious plans for 2019-20, with a range of extensions across all categories.
