Mayfield Gins are hopping on the bandwagon and join Nimbility’s spirits portfolio

When you speak of the devil it shall appear with all its charm, so when you meet James Rackham no one can help but embrace his boundless ambition for his diabolically delicious gin. The gin trend does not seem to be fading anytime soon, so the rightful heir of Red Rackham is breaking ranks with quite an unusual new gin that will no doubt feed the imagination and creativity of bartenders and mixologists all around the world.

“Gin remains one of the fastest growing categories in spirits,” says Nimbility Founding Partner Ian Ford. “After decades - or even centuries - of slumber, the industry is now pulling out all the stops. However, given the abounding number of new gin brands it is hard to identify today which will be tomorrow’s major players. Excitingly, we believe we have found one of them with Mayfield.”

With its dramatic label designed by Stranger & Stranger depicting the local Mayfield story of St Dunstan and the Devil, the visual impact of the bottle is undeniable, making it a standout on the back bar and retail shelves alike, giving a wide range of distribution possibilities.

Among the eight naturally and ethically sourced botanicals used in the Mayfield recipe, the most important one that defines the Mayfield story is a highly unique, wild Sussex hop, growing just 7km away in the village of Salehurst. With its exceptionally high citrus character, this hop is perfect for the citrusy style of Mayfield Gin, also adding subtle hints of hop and spice to the final flavour profile.

Having this unique hop as its signature botanical creates a unique opportunity for importers of Mayfield to build new sales channels by tapping into the recent beer mixology craze that is taking the US and European markets by storm. With China set to become the largest market for craft beer in the world within the next five years, Mayfield is setting itself up to ride the tsunami.

Mayfield’s impeccable care during the distillation process also sets it apart from the growing crowd of other gin producers. Each botanical is individually and slowly macerated, the number of days varying for each one. For some gins, botanicals are merely macerated, or, if distilled, they are distilled all together. At Mayfield, each botanical is individually distilled in a 150-year-old copper pot still, each distillation taking half a day.

As per a London Dry Gin, no flavourings or colourings are added. This renders Mayfield Sussex Hop Gin a “Single Botanical Distilled London Dry Gin”. The heads and tails are removed entirely, with just the eight hearts brought together in the final recipe, each bringing very clear, precise tones of each flavour that harmonize together to create a super smooth distillate that can be enjoyed neat. 

In addition to the gin are two beautifully crafted gin liqueurs – Elderflower & Peach and Rhubarb & Ginger -  using Mayfield Sussex Hop Gin and purely natural ingredients that open up a treasure-trove of cocktail possibilities.

“With such passion, brand building experience and savoir-faire from the Emporia team, alongside the highly individual USPs that Mayfield has to offer, we believe there is huge potential for this brand in Asia-Pacific,” explains Francesca Martin, Founding Partner at Nimbility. “We are really excited to add a second gin to our portfolio, strengthening our offering alongside Hawthorn’s with Mayfield’s very different style and price point.”

James Rackham, Chairman of Emporia Brands is also excited: “For over thirty years we have represented and marketed spirits brands in the UK and we know that you need both a fantastic product and a solid strategy, with expertise on the ground, to get the best results. This is why we have entrusted Nimbility to build our Asia-Pacific markets and position our beloved Mayfield within a loyal network of trade and consumers.”

The only question remaining is will you dare to take the devil by the nose?

For more information on Mayfield in Asia Pacific, please contact info@nimbilityasia.com