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Atlantic Spirit Gin
Posted on
30 Apr 2024
This month we’re turning our Sustainability Spotlight on Atlantic Spirit, a micro-batch gin distillery on the North Devon coast using locally foraged ingredients… with just 240 bottles per batch.
We asked owners Sadie and Quint about their business and their sustainability ethos…
We started our distillery in 2018, our goal from the start was to share our love of our area which is 1 of only 3 AONB areas in the UK and a stones throw from the South West Coast Path, here in Bideford.
Our gins reflect our roots here in North Devon, we wanted to ensure our sustainable values were part of this journey from the start.
What have you done to make your business more sustainable?
Firstly, we are based at home, we renovated an old Apple Shed into a Distillery/Office in lockdown, reusing all the shelves for our walls. Nothing wasted!
It also meant that we could fit solar panels on our roof so our gin stills and bottling process are all powered by the North Devon Sunshine. A big win for us.
We initially used paper labels, home designed and basic! In lockdown we partnered with a local designer to improve our bottle, making it reusable and refillable. We now have paper neck labels and a ceramic print design which means our bottles can be cleaned and refilled.
We collect these empty bottles from customers. The ones that can be, are sterilised and refilled. Ones that don’t pass muster are sent to Adhock Homeware, another eco conscious company based in Devon, to give them a second life as a candle. A beautiful thing!
The botanicals that we use in the distillation process are not wasted, they are put into our hot composter from Earth Friendly Foodware. This means we have great smelling compost to use on our garden where we grow some of our own botanicals.
We also pick botanicals from our local area, meaning that our seasonal gins use some very local ingredients. This is done in very small quantities and adhering to the foragers code at all times.
Importantly for us our social media is a big part of what we do here. Trying to foster a love of our local area through posting about the seasons and our environment. Informing our customers about the wonderful area in which we live.
What would you like to change in the future to improve your sustainability credentials further?
We are always working on what we can change to make us more sustainable, that journey is ongoing.
From the every day recycling and reusing of materials, collecting of rainwater for our botanical garden to partnering with North Devon Biosphere as one of their Business Partners meaning we are committed to conservation, local development and awareness raising.
We aren’t ever resting on our laurels!
What tips do you have for other businesses that would like to become more sustainable?
A thing that helped us was fostering strong relationships with other local companies, agencies and charities – leaning on their knowledge and them on ours.
Volunteering has been a great way to learn. We often partner up with the wardens at the Northam Burrows Park nearby on beach cleans and learn a lot from them.
It is a very satisfying journey to be on, it takes extra time and effort but ultimately it makes your brand part of your community and that can’t be a bad thing.
Try this recipe for Warm Clotted Cream Cake with Atlantic Spirit Lundy Gin Drizzle. Thanks us later!
Atlantic Spirit
Our gin is made using traditional gin basket infusion to create delicate pure flavours. Every bottle is part of a small batch production, ensuring that we can deliver a truly hand crafted gin.
Using premium sourced and locally foraged Atlantic coastal botanicals, all our herbs and fruits are freshly prepared and the flavours slowly extracted through the botanical basket to preserve the delicate flavours. With the addition of local Tarka Springs water, this gin is uniquely soft with superbly clean flavours and aromas.
Visit the Atlantic Spirit website HERE.
