One of Scotland’s up-and-coming gin brands, Shipyard Gin, has announced a new collaboration with El Santo Latin American Bar & Restaurant in Glasgow.
Shipyard Gin was launched in October 2021 by Glaswegian wedding filmmaker, Andy Samuel, and less than a year later his gin was winning awards. It is now available at several of Worq Hospitality venues in Scotland, including El Santo, 55 Bearsden Cross and Riva Boutique Hotel in Helensburgh.
The catalyst for Andy to take a completely new career path was the global pandemic, which brought his wedding filmmaking business to an abrupt end and gave him time to consider his options that included his dream of becoming a gin distiller.
Andy’s passion was to formulate his own distinctive gin, which would pay homage to the rich heritage of Scottish shipbuilding, particularly in the West of Scotland, as he explains: “My vision was to create a high quality, exceptional gin brand that celebrates success and resilience, rather than decline.
“My grandfather’s tenure as a plater at Scott’s Shipbuilding in Greenock, together with my firsthand experiences in the 1990s, witnessing the industry’s decline and its devastating impact on the community, fuelled my desire.”
“The goal with Shipyard Gin was not just to commemorate history, but to actively contribute to help the revival of these areas by creating a successful brand that creates jobs,”
The recent collaboration with El Santo was the result of the time that Andy spent working behind the bar to gain valuable hands-on experience to understand what customers are looking for in a cocktail, an experience that he found extremely helpful: “Shipyard Gin is a personal journey for me of learning and growth – it’s not just about the brand.
“My work experience at El Santo embraced the less glamorous, yet crucial aspects of building a start-up drinks brand. As well as enjoying chatting with punters, it gave me invaluable insights into the trade sector. These skills will significantly influence the development of our next gin creations.”
Andy created a bespoke Shipyard Gin cocktail exclusively for El Santo called Pineapple Mint Fizz, whose ingredients include his award-winning gin and pineapple.
Commenting on the collaboration, Jonathan Doherty, managing director of Worq Hospitality, said: “Our thanks go to Andy for creating this amazing cocktail for us. Building partnerships with both new and established drink brands is what we’re all about here at Worq Hospitality, especially when the brand is local and as good as Shipyard Gin.”
Here at Hand Crafted Drinks Magazine we delighted to receive a bottle to sample and we totally agree with Jonathan Doherty that it is an excellent gin.
The juniper-forward gin has been distilled with seasonal gorse, elderflower and heather, which imparts subtle citrus notes. The palate is gently introduced to earthier notes, brought in by the gorse and heather, with a smooth, warming finish.
This gin is equally at home as part of a traditional or newer cocktail recipe, but it is a very smooth, clean sipping gin that can be enjoyed with or without ice.
Since we first launched in 2020, we have seen several drinks brands launch as a direct result of the pandemic. Whilst no one would ever see a global pandemic as being in any way positive, it was the catalyst for many people to consider their careers. From what we have seen over the last four years, yes there has been a big cloud hanging over us, but there have been multiple silver linings.
We wish Shipyard Gin all the best for a bright future.
For more information visit Shipyard Gin’s website
For more information visit El Santo’s website