Draynes Farm in Lisburn has teamed up with Rademon Estate Craft Distillery in Crossgar to create a delicious dessert flavour.

A new gin and tonic sorbet has been launched by Draynes Farm using award-winning Shortcross Gin from Rademon Estate Craft Distillery.

Phillip Sanaghan, commercial manager at Draynes Farm, commenting on the new sorbet describes it as “a new twist on the gin revolution currently sweeping Northern Ireland”.

The new sorbet, he says, has” an aromatic, fragrant, juniper hit”.

“Draynes Farm Gin and Tonic Sorbet doesn’t just use any old gin. In a perfect partnership between two renowned local producers, our sorbet features the floral-meadow notes of Shortcross Gin, from Rademon. We carefullly blend this exquisite spirit with premier tonic, sugar and our own crystal-clear water in an entirely new and fascinating way.

“The resulting sorbet is full of character. The sugar serves to boost the flavours and enhance the texture, so Draynes Farm Gin and Tonic Sorbet is not overly sweet and retains its crisp, clean-cut bitterness and grassy notes.

“Whether as an intriguing amuse-bouche, the perfect aperitif before a meal or a citrusy palate-cleanser between courses, Draynes Farm Gin and Tonic Sorbet is sure to set those taste buds tingling,” he adds.

Fiona Boyd-Armstrong, managing director of Rademon Estate Craft Distillery, producer of the acclaimed and award-winning Shortcross, Northern Ireland’s original craft gin, which now exported to over 30 countries, says: “We were delighted when Draynes approached us about collaborating in the production of a unique sorbet featuring Shortcross.

“They’ve produced a really delicious sorbet to complement any meal or just to be enjoyed on its own. It has carried the distinctive flavours of the juniper and botanicals which make Shortcross such a unique tasting product,” she adds.

For more than 80 years, Draynes Farm, a family farm business, has been producing and delivering fresh milk and cream of the highest quality. They operate one of the most technology advanced dairy operations in Ireland and now use their milk to produce a successful range of ice cream flavours which have won national awards for quality and outstanding taste.

Draynes Farm, for instance, won 2 gold stars in the 2016 Great Taste Awards for its vanilla ice cream. The new sorbet joins an established portfolio of three and 10 ice cream flavours.

The Copeland Distillery in Northern Ireland has announced its first Irish whiskey, known as the ‘The 125’ Single Cask Reserve. Inspired by the Copeland Distillery’s 125-year lease on the new Donaghadee premises, ‘The 125’ reserve will offer private investors the opportunity to own one of 125 casks of this first release.

The whiskey will be distilled later this year with head distiller, William Stafford, and company founder, Gareth Irvine, overseeing all elements from grain selection to maturation. Copeland began business distilling fruit-infused gins.

Known as ‘The 125’, each investor who becomes a cask owner, will also become an important part of the Copeland Distillery, a Food NI member Each of the titles will be displayed on ‘The 125’ wall, signalling their investment and immortalising their important commitment to the distillery’s journey. Each cask owner will receive an official certificate of ownership and ‘The 125’ members card unlocking exclusive access to future events at the distillery and private tours. Members will also have the opportunity to visit their cask and request samples as it matures.

Anyone can purchase a cask of The 125, with the option of sharing an ownership with colleagues, family members and close friends available too. The distillery will also have a number of syndicate casks available for any individuals who wish to share ownership of a cask with similarly passionate whiskey drinkers.

Following distillation later this year, each cask will be filled and ‘put to sleep’ to mature for the next five years minimum in hand-selected casks. The Copeland Distillery places spirit-quality over yield, ensuring that only the highest quality new-make whiskey will be selected for maturation. The range of casks available to what will become ‘The 125’ are as follows:

• 100 ex-Bourbon casks of approximately 200 litres. Priced at a base cost of £4600 and yielding a return of over 400 bottles, these ex-bourbon casks will deliver a characterful whiskey with flavour compounds of caramel-like sweetness, spice and vanilla;
• 20 first-fill quarter, ex-bourbon casks of approximately 125 litres. Priced at a base cost £3000 and yielding over 250 bottles, these slightly smaller casks will mature at a quicker rate but deliver all the same sweetness and spice flavour as their larger counterparts;
• five sherry butts / port pipes casks of approximately 500 litres. Priced at £8000 and yielding over 1000 bottles, these ex-sherry or ex-port casks will create a slightly dry, rich-red coloured whiskey.

Once matured, ‘The 125’ will have the opportunity to decide if they would like their Single Cask Whiskey to be bottled and labelled on-site with a bespoke label, sold back to the  percent compound interest per year on casks if sold back to The Distillery’s ‘buy-back’ scheme after the minimum five years. An example of this for the 200-litre cask option is: Initial investment: £4,600.00. After five years: £5,204.48 or after 10: £5,888.39.

Gareth Irvine says: “We are gearing up to open the doors of the Copeland Distillery in just a couple months, which signals our growth as a business and the beginning of a new journey for us. The interest we’ve already had in ‘The 125’ Reserve details to us that our excitement is shared and there is a palpable confidence in our skill and ability to create quality, unique spirits.

“Having achieved so much in such a short space of time with our gin, which is now exported across the world to territories such as Australia and Europe, we’re confident that our whiskey will rise to the same success and further cement Copeland’s reputation as an impressive Northern Irish brand on the international stage. Our whiskey is the perfect marriage of traditional techniques and modern experimentation, each bottle of the whiskey will push creative boundaries and bring new flavours and character to the category,” he adds.

Linden Foods the county Tyrone based meat processor has pledged its support for leading autism charity, Autism NI as it announces the local organisation as the company’s chosen partner for its Charity Charter 2019/20.

Autism NI works to providing life-changing services for the 30,000 individuals living with the daily challenges of this ‘hidden’ disability throughout Northern Ireland.

Gerry Maguire, managing director of Linden Foods, said: “Our staff voted for Autism NI to become our charity of the year, and we’re really looking forward to working with them over the next twelve months to help them gain support, raise awareness and funds.

“In recent years, Linden Foods has helped raise thousands of pounds and build awareness of other important organisations in Northern Ireland, therefore we’re looking forward to doing the same for Autism NI. This is a charity very close to the hearts of our staff and we are committed to making this partnership a ‘sizzling’ success.”  Linden Foods is part of Food NI member Fane Valley Group.

Autism NI’s corporate fundraising manager, Sarah-Jayne Cassells added: “We’re very grateful that Linden Foods has selected Autism NI to benefit from all their fundraising activities. Corporate supporters are vital in helping us fund our expert support services which includes a parent support network, family support service, training and education courses, developmental research and early intervention services.

“It’s going to be a great partnership and we are excited to get started, meet the staff and support them in their fundraising activities for the year ahead. All money raised throughout this partnership will remain within Northern Ireland and go towards providing life-changing services for the autism community.”

As well as fundraising, Linden Food’s staff will be taking part in Autism NI range of events throughout the year and those coping with autism will have the opportunity to avail of the charity’s services and training.

Currently one in 34 school age children are diagnosed with autism in Northern Ireland, and it has become the highest growing disability in Europe. Therefore, fundraising support through partnerships such as this gives Autism NI the essential support to allow it to continue to provide vital services to those families and individuals living with autism throughout Northern Ireland.