We were both working full time jobs and we were approached to go on Dragon's Den so we turned it down," recalled Liam, 35, who is originally from Collyhurst but now lives in Ancoats. This is a staggering 1295 per cent increase since the duo behind the company landed investment from entrepreneur Jenny Campbell in 2018. It was also despite pivoting to producing millions of bottles worth of hand sanitiser at the height of the pandemic, all before of a single tweet. Read More Related Articles Inspired by the summer, the liqueur has a hint of shimmer and features flavours including raspberry jelly and creamy vanilla and custard. Jenny has been a fantastic partner and she is still really involved in the company today, added Liam.

Both lovers of gin, they decided to make their way through as many different types of the juniper-based spirit the pub had to offer. After getting the bill, the pals realised there must be a cheaper way to find their favourite. We are hoping to get into supermarkets next year, following on from our success with Aldi and MasterChef winner Simon Wood and we’re also about to appoint a national distributor to handle all the sales. We got two offers and went with Jenny Campbell who is a fellow northerner. She's still very much involved with the business now." But when the pair were made redundant around the same time last year - Liam from his role as a corporate social responsibility manager for a construction firm and Mark from his job as a bar manager - they decided to take their side hustle full time. I think gin drinkers across the UK will too. They have a great brand which will be taking on the classic names by the end of the year. Watch this space.” Read More Related ArticlesAnybody with an inkling about gin is sure to be familiar with the Craft Gin Club. Jon Hulme and John Burke were the brains behind the subscription service, which sprung into action in 2015. But in April 2018 I was made redundant from Wates Construction where I had been since I was an apprentice and Mark also lost his job at the bar. Their business hasn't been immune to the cost of living crisis though, with increasing volatility around energy prices and the cost of goods rising. But Liam is confident he has the right team and right product to weather the storm.

And this year, the range has been extended with four new flavours of gin liqueur and one new vodka liqueur. Dragons' Den investors Touker Suleyman, Jenny Campbell, Deborah Meaden, Tej Lalvani and Peter Jones (Image: BBC/Andrew Farrington) It's been a tough year for business amid the pandemic, but Didsbury Gin has reported a record year. Mark said: "We skirted around disaster about five minutes before going on. We had an idea we should practise the measures and we had some brand new glassware which we had washed out in the sink. We've turned this business from an idea in the pub to running it in my front room and we skirt through disaster at least three times a week but somehow it's working," said Liam. Read More Related Articles

Tasting notes

The duo started their gin journey with a desire to encapsulate the spirit and charm of Didsbury within a bottle. After numerous attempts and meticulous tweaking, they devised a formula that does precisely that. Didsbury Gin marries traditional artisan methods and innovative flavours, offering a smooth, crisp, and nuanced palate that appeals to both traditional gin lovers and newcomers alike.

musicMagpie: The inside story of how a High Street retreat led to going public and creating hundreds of jobs But a day or two after them both losing their jobs, the show approached them again and their offer was accepted. There were a lot of sharks making a lot of money at the time from a lot of these organisations and charging extortionate prices," Liam said. Didsbury Gin, originating from the vibrant and picturesque village of Didsbury, located in Manchester, England, was introduced to the world by business partners Mark Smallwood and Liam Manton. This craft gin has attracted fans and connoisseurs in the British gin market, priding itself on utilising quality, hand-selected botanicals and providing a delightfully refreshing experience to its consumers. But the most exciting thing for the business is, in January we will be announcing another product. We’re not able to say anything yet, but you may be surprised to hear that... it isn’t gin.”

Product Details

The brand launched in November 2018; its portfolio includes the overproof Grenade rum range and the Two Swallows brand. It really wasn't that detailed to be honest, just a few words and numbers but we got away with it." From hired gun to falling in love with the firm: how former boss of Hollyoaks studio helped transform Ultimate Products

Mark and I headed to the pub so didn't get round to actually writing our pitch until late that night. Six months later, and Alderman's Didsbury Gin had appeared on the shelves of Harvey Nicholls. And, after an appearance on Dragon's Den three years ago, the business spiralled with the help of a five-figure investment from dragon, Jenny Campbell.

Recently viewed

In the episode, the pair were told by Deborah Meaden they were on the "tail-end of the comet" and that they should not have been learning lessons from other businesses who had "got in" three years earlier. Read More Related Articles I feel like I may regret that,” said dragon Steven Bartlett, after choosing not to invest in hard seltzer brand Berczy earlier this year. It was a quite intense situation for everyone but for me it was a national disgrace that hospitals like the Christie - who have just been treating my dad for the past two months - didn’t have access to the bare essentials to do their job." The business has also created bartender-quality ready-to-drink (RTD) products - securing listings in Co-op, Booths and WHSmith, as well as selling direct to consumers. Read More Related Articles