Welcome To The Gin Ignite Podcast

Whether you want to party or have a quiet night in gin will ignite

News

Welcome

• Hello and Welcome to Episode 23

#nippleinatipple

• Seen a lot of posts but would nice to see some more.
• I finally did my posts. Still time to do one quickly before the end of the month.
• Thank you to Bev @gin_meets_girl for setting this up

November

• What is happening in November. If you have got anything that you are setting up other than Movember then drop me a line and let me know.

Kate @sipandshareuk

• I had a lovely time with Kate last week. Please checkout her website and consider being a member to get some great discounts.
• I have also been trying to think a bit more how I want people to feel this week in my posts. WIP.
• I wish Kate all the luck with the halloween party on Saturday night.

Review

• Reviews really help the podcast in a given podcast directory. So if you did have a chance to review the podcast I would be most grateful

Weekly Gin Recommendation

Weekly Gin Recommendation - The Gower Gin Company Rhosili

• The only problem with buying gins for review sometimes they stay in a drawer
• When they are flat packed they are even harder to find
• I cannot believe I deprived myself of this gorgeous gin
• Rhosili is such a beautiful part of the world and a place I absolutely adore. 
• The landscape is green and lush and the coastal paths are amazing.
• So I imagine myself looking out towards the sea and I can see the worms head. Which is an island just off the coast which looks like a worms head.
• I pour Rhosili into my glass
• The nose of the gin reminds me of the freshness of the coast with undertones of lime
• The flavour profile is dry initially with a burst of sweetness followed by lime taste which remains through the flavour profile then goes sweet. At 45% this is strong but you would not know it.
• It is such a refreshing taste and even better when you add tonic.
• For my test I paired with Mediterranean tonic but any light tonic would be fine.
• I would love to try this as a dry martini
• I am also dying to try this in a gin based Mojito 
• I was not expecting this to taste so fresh and so Moorish
• It just had to be my weekly recommendation and definitely goes up the buying list.

Brit Jones from The Botanical Trading Company

How does Brit fit it all in ?

• Brit works for a large high street bank
• 2 year old daughter, very busy, has ballet lessons, swimming lessons, likes the outdoors, arts and crafts and her best friend is their little dog
• She fits The Botanical Trading Company into early mornings, weekends and evening after her daughter goes to bed.

How did you start journey with gin ?

• Always been gin fan. 
• Started to love gin when became exposed to craft gin
• Opportunity to meet small batch distillers. 
• Husband works in spirit industry and creates bespoke glass packaging
• He started to speak to a lot of other distillers.

Why Gin ?

• Gin is a bit more personal because family based distillers
• There is a passion behind creation of gin
• Interesting and inspirational
• Exciting and fun

How do you enjoy gin ?

• G&T kind of girl
• Like to try all different flavours and garnishes
• Love a cocktail but not good at making them
• Husband is a gin sipper
• Both Brit and her husband explore different ways of enjoying gin.

What kind of brands stand out for you ?

• Everything small batch and craft
• Likes things that stands out especially citrus and strong peppery flavours
• If a gin brand you like brings out a new product likes to try those
• Brand wise likes to stay open and try anything she can find
• Looks at villages and towns across the country and tries to understand whether they have distilleries
• Reaches out to those distilleries
• The fun of trying them is a package between sampling the gin itself and knowing about the distillery
• Distillers are incredibly talented
• Do it in such a way that is small batch and personal
• Something amazing when a distiller starts with something small and then grows their distillery
• Like an artform and that’s what needs to be celebrated.

How can we support the industry ?

• Exploring different flavours
• Enjoy gins by widening palette 
• Pushing the boundaries and exploring where you can discover the distilleries
• Get excited about it with those distilleries and share on social media and with your friends.
• Support businesses that support small businesses and that’s how we help them grow
• They will get more face time and grow
• Exploring different flavours and supporting at the same as well as having an adventure yourself.

What would be my customer journey be like ?

• Decide how you want to join us monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly
• The Botanical Trading Company then searches on your behalf for some bespoke British craft gins. 
• They talk directly to the distillers or whoever they trade with to get information
• Also there is an option to have a one off box called a One Time Adventure

When does everything get packaged up ?

• On around 15th of month

When would you have to sign up by to get the next months box ?

• Sign up by the 10th of the month to receive the box for that month

What made you go 100% biodegradable and recyclable and for shipping packaging ?

• Something that important to me.
• Lots of waste packaging when you get something through the internet based marketplace
• Sometimes you buy something like a light bulb within a box within a box within a box
• Regular shipment boxes needed to be just the right size to protect the product.

What couriers do you use ?

• Royal Mail Second Class Signed For get to destination within 3-5 days. Royal Mail reliable and trackable
• Happy with the service
• Reduce carbon footprint by having shipping on one day

What would I get in the October box for example ?

• 50cl or 70cl Craft Gin. In October it was Thunderflower Gin
• Pre-sale sample Fireship Gin
• Gin pins
• Information postcard on distillery

How did you come up with the name ?

• Spent so long thinking about name
• Did not want to sound like a gin club
• The Botanical Trading Company is a gin subscription service but important to represent that this is a trade involved. 
• Trade for the distiller because get best trade price but not diminishing their margins
• Send out boxes to influencers so that the distiller gets publicity
• Don’t overshadow their gin with other products

How long has the company being operating from ?

• Incorporated early this year
• Had to wait for licences because of Covid
• Website in July and opened subscription 4 weeks later
• Got 18 months of distillers lined up

How are you going to cope with growth ?

• Always keep one single distiller. 
• If we exceed the amount that a distiller can produce then will give that distiller time to produce the right amount of bottles
• We are a a premium brand and if gets to a point where we can’t get fulfilled any more subscriptions for that month then we won’t

How would you describe The Botanical Trading Company as a brand ?

• Premium feel to what we are doing
• Don’t want to cheapen anything to make achievable
• Offering something that is different and a bit special
• Add excitement of mystery of what could be coming 
• People want to be a part of
• Hopefully will enjoy us as the work that Brit is putting in

What was the brand mean to you personally ?

• Put loads of effort and time and energy over last 10-12 months
• Hopefully people are intrigued and that people love what we are doing
• Not necessarily how much come in the box it is the story behind it
• Honoured to be a part of the gin community

Where are you going to go next ?

• Highlife North ultimate Christmas Gift Guide for 2020.
• Featured in Hampers and Subscriptions
• Hundreds of lots of small British busienses on there
• Important to uplift each one of them to get through this period
• Lots of ideas 
• Grow subscription platform
• Gift boxes
• Expand website for platform for sale
• Potentially make own gin
• Possibilities are endless

Where can you contact ?

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Website

What is your favourite gin and how would you serve it ?

• Can’t tell you what favourite gin is because it’s coming in November’s box
• Lots of gin really into at the moment
• Thunderflower Gin is definitely one of ultimate favourites
• Feedback incredible and can’t recommend enough
• Favourite serve fresh G&T. 
• Will be experimenting a bit more with warmer flavours and spices for the winter

What does gin mean to you ?

• Big part of family life
• Quite personal
• Family for me
• Husband works in and now I work in the industry
• Want to start full time so that can put heart and soul into it
• Together, family and Instagram community. 
• Feel part of one large gin family

Instagram Community Shout Out

• My instagram shoutout this week is Alex @thecocktailvibe
• The Gin Guide - recently White Lady cocktail with @highclerecastlegin, triple sec, egg white and lemon juice
• Penrhos Apple and Elderflower Gin - G&T
• Boodles Strawberry and Rhubarb Gin - Rhubarb Sour with egg white, lemon, sugar syrup and and angostura bitters
• Gin sour - gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup, splash of egg white
• Gin Rickey - 50ml gin, 25ml lime and 12.5ml sugar syrup, top up with soda water
• A yawn is a silent scream for an expresso martini
• Brunch the socially acceptable way to all day drinking
• Dry martini ? What gin would you use ?

Get In Contact

• IM me at @ginignite Instagram or @ginignite on Twitter
• E-Mail me at [email protected]
• If you have ideas IM me or e-mail at [email protected]
• If you want to be on the show then IM me or e-mail me at [email protected]

Final Thought

• The thing that I like about the gin community that I have met so far is that no one judges anyone for what they believe, what they look like or who they choose to be.
• The world would be a better place if everyone took that view.
• Grab your drink, toast those you love, enjoy your weekend and whether your decide to party or stay in I will be with you in spirit !!!
• Seriously though enjoy your weekend and I look forward to joining you for another episode next Friday.
• Cheers