Salcombe Distilling Company in collaboration with P&O Cruises is set to create the first distillery at sea. This will be installed onboard P&O Cruises’ new flagship vessel ‘Iona’, which will have its maiden voyage in May 2020. The exact recipe of a brand new gin that this distillery will make has yet to be revealed.
Following the gin’s launch on Iona, it will become the official gin for the entire P&O Cruise fleet, available in their bars and restaurants as well as their duty free shops. In addition cruise guests will be able to sign up to masterclasses in which they can compare different gins and one in which they can even make a gin to their own recipe.
Salcombe Gin, with its waterside distillery, is a brand inspired by the coastal vitality of Salcombe and its heritage for building fast-moving Salcombe Fruiters which raced back from the Mediterranean and the Azores bringing fruit and spices into English ports in the 19th century.
Angus Lugsdin, co-founder of Salcombe Distilling Co is understandably enthusiastic about the tie-up, saying: “Our two brands have an amazingly rich and shared history. Both brands are kindred spirits, born of the sea with a history of breaking new ground and exploring new horizons. To be responsible for creating a unique gin and distilling it onboard the first distillery at sea is a very romantic notion and brings us closer to the intrepid adventurers who travelled the world’s oceans seeking out the finest fruits, spices and herbs.”
President of P&O Cruises, Paul Ludlow, is equally excited: “They have an unrivalled passion and attention to detail, not only in the award-winning gins they create, but also in the unique gin experiences they offer.”
Iona will be launched in May 2020 and, with its 5,200 guest capacity, it is the largest ship built to serve the UK market. Besides the first distillery at sea, the design of the ship will break new boundaries, offering a breath-taking three deck atrium in the heart of the ship as well as a vast glass dome reaching to the sky.
Iona’s first voyage will take in the spectacular fjords of Norway before heading to Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands for winter sun.
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