Specialised wines and spirits brand partner Duty Free Global (DFG) has partnered with UK-based Silent Pool Distillers to represent the latter in worldwide duty free, TRBusiness can reveal.

Duty Free Global will help develop a portfolio that includes the recognisable Silent Pool Gin and the brand’s latest offering Green Man Woodland Gin in a collaboration effective 1 September.

Green Man Woodland Gin will be presented to buyers at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference (24-28 October) in Cannes.

“All of the team at Duty Free Global are really proud to be working with Silent Pool,” Barry Geoghegan, Founder, DFG told this publication.

“I think of all the brands coming out of the gin category, this one has real sincerity. When they talk about sustainability they wear their hearts on their sleeve; a lot of brands talk it and don’t walk it. Silent Pool is doing both.

“We love the packaging, the liquids, the team and we’re pretty confident this is going to be a big success in travel retail because they really understand the market.

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“We’re looking forward to visiting the team at the distillery but equally bringing this fantastic brand to all our operator friends around the world.”

In a video interview, TRBusiness heard that the partnership was borne out of a common understanding and recognition of the unique requirements and demands of travel retail, with Silent Pool having already increased its standing in the industry of late with several high-profile listings in the UK and Dubai.

“We’re extremely pleased to be announcing that we’re going to joining forces with Barry and his team globally,” commented Adam Dobson, Global Sales Director, Silent Pool Distillers.

“Barry comes highly recommended and many people across the industry know of the great work he has done over the years.”

Aside its eponymous flagship gin, the small, independently owned distillery boasts a variety of other skus such as Silent Pool Rare Citrus Gin.

“Up until the pandemic we were growing exponentially, establishing ourselves quite strongly with World Duty Free in the UK and started to see some secondary listings coming in Dubai, we’re in Auckland and Hong Kong and started to really expand the brand footprint in the channel,” continued Dobson.

“The brand resonates for consumers in the channel because they are looking for something a bit special that taps into that gifting need and has an element of luxury to it as well and ultimately that will inform and help to drive the overall brand strategy as we move forward.

“There is some NPD and innovation in the pipeline. We’ll look to really drive the master brand up in terms of premiumness and tapping into that luxury element that gin doesn’t really play in at the moment globally but I definitely believe there is headroom to do so.

“It’s about utilising Duty Free Global team’s expertise in terms of building and driving equity in the brands, engaging with the buyers and ultimately shoppers with engaging activities that cement the brand as a super-premium gin of choice when they move through the airports.”

Silent Pool was the recipient of the revered ‘Sustainability Hero’ accolade during TRBusiness’ Travel Retail Sustainability Week in recognition of the brand’s outstanding eco-conscious activities that take place at the distillery.

Nestled in the UK’s Surrey Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty, the distillery constantly assesses ways in which it can reduce its carbon footprint and resource consumption.

Onsite, a wood-fired heritage steam boiler fires a 350l still that uses wood sourced within a 10-mile radius of the distillery.

Meanwhile, the larger 1800l still is powered by a modern steam generator that relies on hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) repurposed into red diesel (or equivalent) that is 100% renewable.

Aside operating a closed-loop cooling system for the still house, Silent Pool utilises roof solar panels which helps to offset energy usage and earlier this year announced plans for a new biomass boiler to heat the distillery and surrounding buildings.

Silent Pool customers can refill their bottles using a machine at the distillery or return bottlings for a discount on another bottle or product. The returned bottles are turned into candles that are sold in the shop.

The latest innovation, Green Man Woodland Gin, is lightweight, 100% recyclable and packaged in a cardboard bottle made from 94% recycled paper, which uses 77% less plastic and has a significantly lower carbon footprint compared with glass.

Based out of County Wicklow, Ireland, but with a broad global reach, DFG’s counts the likes of Paul Sapin wines, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, Somrus and Sazerac among its existing brand partners.

The team – steered by Barry Geoghegan – possesses more than 40 years’ experience in the global beverage and travel retail business with specialisms in different geographic regions.

Watch out for the TRBusiness October issue for the full video interview with Silent Pool Distillers and Duty Free Global.