The membership of EDABL – ‘Eat, Drink & Be Local’ in Guernsey consist of artisans and producers of the island’s very best produce.
This week, we feature two of them – who just happen to be the driving force and two of the founding members of EDABL.
WHEADON’S GIN HANDCRAFTED ON THE ISLAND GUERNSEY
There is a great deal of Guernsey in Wheadon’s Gin. The Wheadon family has been involved in the production and distribution of fine alcohol on Guernsey for over a century and it is this heritage, combined with Guernsey’s marine environment, which is the inspiration behind Wheadon’s Gin.
As founder and master distiller Luke Wheadon elaborates: “Our gin is produced in traditional copper stills in the atmospheric cellar lounge of our own Bella Luce Hotel whose foundations can be traced back to Norman times. We use rock samphire, foraged from the nearby cliffs of St Martins, and other carefully sourced botanicals to create a perfectly balanced artisanal gin in very small batches.”
Warming to his motto that ‘Flavour is King and Provenance Key, Luke continues “Great gin is all about flavour, balancing selected botanicals to produce a spirit perfect for sipping on its own or pairing with tonic or as the basis of a favourite gin-based cocktail. By distilling in very small quantities, we are able to finely tune the flavour profile of our original gin, Rock Samphire & Pink Grapefruit, its sister gin Mandarin Lime & Hibiscus and our latest creation, Yuzu, Lemongrass & Green Tea gin.”
The development of great gin has been the driving force behind a new joint venture between Luke and Jersey restauranteur Mark Taft with the launch of The Channel Islands Liquor Company earlier this year. “We are incredibly excited about this venture with Luke” says Mark Taft. “We are looking to achieve a few firsts, not just in Guernsey and Jersey but also worldwide. We really hope that islanders will get behind the company and choose to drink a local brand over others – especially when it tastes so good!”
GROWING AND HARVESTING WORLD CLASS OYSTERS
Guernsey Herm Oysters is a truly local business specialising in rearing and supplying the finest quality oysters from the carefully managed oyster beds in Guernsey and Herm. Three years into their journey of producing the finest oysters, Charlotte and Justin already have an enviable reputation supplying restaurants and bars across the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
It is not an empty statement when Charlotte says “Guernsey is one of the few places in the world that can boast the fact that every oyster consumed in the Bailiwick has been reared in the Bailiwick. As oysters take on the flavour of the water in which they are raised, different oysters from different places have distinct flavours. Our oysters in Guernsey and Herm are fed by the clear nutrient-rich waters of the Gulf Stream with the tidal flow rushing through and over the farm site twice daily: their taste is unique and gives them worldwide appeal.”
Wheadon’s Gin and Guernsey Herm Oysters are but two of the regular local Guernsey drink and food producers who will be at the upcoming Eat Drink & Be Local Seafront Sundays on 28 July, 18 August and 01 September 2019.
For more information, visit www.wheadonsgin.co.ukand www.guernseyhermoysters.com
