The Troughton family who own the Armagh Cider Company have added a new string to their bow with a range of mixers. They are called “Raising Spirits” and currently come in nine flavours- five of which were added during lockdown. They are all crafted from the natural spring water found on the Troughton family farm.

The mixers mark an exciting new chapter for the company, well-known for its handcrafted ciders, apple juice and cider vinegar. Spotting a gap in the market for quality mixers made primarily in Northern Ireland, and discovering that no-one else was producing craft lemonade in the province, they decided to launch their own range.

“Normally, everything we do here is apple-based, but we’ve been looking at the gin and spirits market recently,” said Mark. “We have our own quality spring water for the cider, so it’s a natural progression for us, to go from crafting alcohol to non-alcohol products as well.”

The range is available in shops in special four-packs. The company says this is a ‘revolutionary’ move for craft brands, as this costs companies more to produce. The packs will, however, be competitively priced with mainstream mixers.

“We created the tonics primarily for the gin market,” said Mark. “People want choice and everyone has different tastes. For example, gin and ginger are popular combinations, as are whiskey and ginger. A lot of people drink lemonade with their gin too.”

Instagram @troughtonspremium