A punk-rocking baker is approaching his first Christmas as one of South Cumbria's newest, and most avant-garde, drinks producers.

Jim Whittam and wife Melanie, who work at the Hazelmere in Grange, began selling their own vodka, gin, dark rum and spiced rum in March 2021 under the brand name Jimmy Mohawk.

Jim said lockdown provided the push to take on a new challenge:

"We used our own savings - I was more gung-ho than Melanie on that - the part of the conversation that strikes the fear of God into me is: 'yes, we can afford it, but only if you get it back.' She's not a lady to let down!"

Jim is proud of his vodka and gin, made to their own botanical recipe, but his passion comes through even more about rum:

"I've always been into my rum drinking since spending many evenings with my dad enjoying a tipple and listening to music.

"Woods was his go to and is still mine - it might not be the finest on the market but it brings back plenty of fond memories of when he was still with us.

"Our dark rum is a French-Caribbean style with a brandy-esque sweetness.

"Our spiced rum also comes from this dark rum base - we believe we've created a stand out product with a very spiced palette.

"It starts with fennel and ends in cloves with plenty going on in middle - it works well with tart mixers such as pomegranate but equally as well with ginger and lime for your "Dark and Stormy" with a twist."

The Mail: RUM: The family at the marketRUM: The family at the market

Jimmy Mohawk now sponsor Beth Lindsay of Barrow Raiders Ladies, and hope to help out more local causes and charities with the growth of the business.

The drinks are sold through local stockists, including Cockles in Cartmel, Cockles in Flookburgh, and the Hazelmere.

To find out more about the products and to place orders, visit www.jimmymohawk.com, or visit their Facebook page.