Business

Titanic Distillers enter fast-growing vodka market

Titanic Distillers director Stephen Symington.
Titanic Distillers director Stephen Symington. Titanic Distillers director Stephen Symington.

THE company behind plans to open the first working whiskey distillery in Belfast in over 100 years has unveiled a new vodka product.

Titanic Distillers is backed by former lottery millionaire Peter Lavery and Belfast venture capitalists Richard Irwin and Stephen Symington.

In November, the company secured planning permission to convert the historic Titanic Pump House at the city's docks into a new distillery and tourist attraction.

Work is now under way inside the listed building.

After launching its own blended whiskey last year, the drinks start-up is now targeting the vodka category with its ‘Titanic Distillers Premium Irish Vodka’.

Analysis by food and drink research consultancy CGA suggests vodka now accounts for 36 per cent of what Northern Ireland consumers spend on spirits.

“Vodka is the fastest growing spirit category on the island of Ireland,” said Stephen Symington.

“So we had a look and saw a gap in the market for a premium Irish vodka – created on the island using local ingredients.”

The new vodka is distilled using hand-picked Irish sugar beet from Co Wexford and Co Antrim, and cut with pure local spring water from Co Down.

“It was imperative that we put our own Titanic Distillers stamp on it, as we did with our whiskey, so we decided to distil it in our own way, slowly and with Irish sugar beet. Taking only the best part of the spirit, we cut it with pure local spring water and left it unfiltered to let its raw, distinctive character shine through,” he added.

Titanic Distillers has signed up Craigavon-based United Wines as distributor.