Pickering's Gin expands with Antipodean exports

Edinburgh gin distiller Pickering's has doubled its production capacity after winning export deals in Australia and New Zealand.

Pickering's Gin is due Down Under in time for the Tattoo's arrival in Melbourne

The firm, launched in 2014 by Matt Gammell and Marcus Pickering, has added a second still at its Summerhall site, which once housed Edinburgh’s Royal Dick Vet School.

Pickering said: “We are thrilled that we are exporting Pickering’s Gin to some of the key global gin markets and are delighted that we can add Australia and New Zealand to our list of export countries. It is testament to the quality of our products that there has been such an interest and demand for our premium gins globally.”

Gammell added: “By installing a second still we are able to vastly increase our production and now have the potential to produce over 1,200 bottles a day. We also have plans to upgrade our bottling line to cope with this increased demand.”

The first shipments have already been exported and are due to arrive in time for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo when it marches into Melbourne next month.

The distiller, which has sponsored the Tattoo for the past two years, already exports to countries including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong and Switzerland, and is now targeting the US market.

“We have got some really great plans for some specific regions in the US, so 2016 is already looking like a very exciting year for us,” Pickering said.