Brand refresh and new distillery for Darnley's

Darnley's View Gin, the Wemyss Malts led gin company, has revealed its brand refresh, including a new name – Darnley's Gin.

New packaging also celebrates the spirit's quality and craftsmanship, with a wide colour palette and hand-drawn illustrations to convey the different botanicals in each expression.

An addition to the portfolio has also been made, which currently includes Darnley’s Original Gin and Darnley’s Spiced Gin. Darnley’s Spiced Gin ‘Navy Strength’ is inspired by the career of Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, an ancestor of owners the Wemyss family, and an admiral of the fleet.

Finally, to reinforce the brand's commitment to growth and the future success of Darnley’s Gin, the company has confirmed that it is in the final stages of building a new Darnley’s Distillery next to its sister whisky distillery at Kingsbarns in the East Neuk of Fife. Currently distilled in London, Darnley’s Gin production will move exclusively to the new Scottish facility this summer.

The Darnley’s Distillery is being developed in a disused cottage in this secluded corner of Scotland, and plans for a visitor experience to add to Fife’s food and drink tourism scene are set to be announced within the next few months.

Commenting on today’s announcement, William Wemyss, owner and managing director, says: "We felt it was the right time to refresh Darnley’s Gin and also to bring production in house, more specifically, home to Fife, where the Wemyss family has lived and worked for centuries. Our links to the whisky industry date back almost two centuries and our foray into producing began back in the 1970s. Investing in the Darnley’s Gin portfolio and in being ‘made in Scotland’ is another bold step in our business story which is driven by an ongoing passion for making the highest quality spirits for people to enjoy. We are all very much looking forward to rolling out our plans for Darnley’s Gin and to seeing it flourish in markets around the world in years to come."

Emma Hooper, brand manager, adds: "This is an incredibly exciting and significant time for Darnley’s Gin as we move into the next chapter of our brand story. After six successful years in the category, taking this step to re-imagine our packaging and create a welcoming brand home in Scotland is an evolution that will highlight the exceptional quality of Darnley’s Gin, reinforce our spirited heritage, and strengthen our premium position in the market."

The portfolio includes:

• Darnley’s Original Gin: inspired by the elderflower growing wild in the grounds of the Wemyss family castle in Fife. Bottled at 40%.
• Darnley’s Spiced Gin: contemporary in style. Bottled at 42.7%.
• Darnley’s Spiced Gin Navy Strength: this gin uses the same botanicals as Darnley’s Spiced Gin, with a more juniper and an increased proof. Bottled at 57.1%.

The new look Darnley's Gin will be phased into the brand's 23 global markets throughout 2017, led by the UK where it will be available from April in the on-trade and in specialist independent retailers and Majestic Wine. Darnley’s Navy Strength Gin will be available exclusively on Gin Kiosk from 3 April – 3 May and has an RRP of £39.99.

Glasgow based design agency D8 worked with Darnley’s Gin to create the  new packaging, with UK illustrator, Martin Hargreaves, drawing the botanicals which represent the flavours of each expression.

7 April 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor