A small Lake District distillery is making a name for itself in the world of craft spirit production.

Grasmere Distillery's gin products, including Dry, Blood Orange and Pink Berry varieties, have seen a spike in sales, making it the fastest growing craft spirit brand in the Lake District.

The distillery only began selling its gins to other stockists at the start of the year, and has seen a surge in sales from a modest three bottles in January, to over 400 bottles in August.

Now, they are available in over 40 locations throughout Cumbria, leaving distillery owners Paul and Beth Abbott feeling thrilled and somewhat surprised.

"We were confident we had a great product because our gins were proving so popular in our tap room in the centre of Grasmere village,” said Beth.

“But even we've been surprised at how quickly sales and distribution have grown. After an initial steady rise, sales really took off in July with a doubling of the number of stockists."

The distillery gained listings in the Westmorland Farm Shops at Tebay, which has received national recognition since it featured on the TV show 'A Lake District Farm Shop'.

The Abbotts' gins are also stocked by several key Cumbrian businesses including A Day's Walk, Chestnut House, and Lakeland Artisan, as well as on-trade locations such as the Yan at Broadrayne and the Lake District Country Hotel group.

Paul Abbott, co-owner, said: "Stockists appreciate that Grasmere Gins are 100 per cent made and bottled in the famous Lakeland village by local people.

“And with everything done in-house, trade prices are kept lower than comparative products. Craft doesn't need to mean expensive, and with the attention we give to the bottles, Grasmere Gins stand out on any shelf and has the appearance and taste of a premium-priced product."

Supported by a robust marketing campaign, the Abbotts are confident that by Christmas they will be distributing over 600 bottles a month, and anticipate reaching up to 1,000 bottles per month by next summer.

Grasmere Vodka will be joining the range in November.

For details on how to become a stockist, contact 07960071132 or email sales@grasmeredistillery.com.