Summer 2018

94 In November 2016, Pure Wild Spirits launched Freya Birch Spirit, a 40% ABV white spirit made using the sap from wild birch trees. The process of producing the wonderful spirit involves tapping trees in Finland and Latvia for their sap, which is, which is frozen and then brought to the company’s distillery in rural Essex to be fermented, distilled and bottled. Generally, the process takes seven days from sap to finished product. Freya Birch Spirit sports natural green flavours and subtle wood and vanilla notes. A versatile spirit, Freya allows bartenders to create contemporary twists on classic cocktails such as Martinis, Negronis, Margaritas and Sazeracs, adding complexity of flavour and a delicious smoothness. Freya is delicious served cold over ice or with flavoured tonics or sodas as a refreshing aperitif. Pure Wild Spirits also boast, a second product: Freya Woodsmoke. This is a smoked version of Freya, where the smoke of three woods, Apple, Birch and Chestnut is bubbled through the birch spirit to create a beautifully smooth and smoky aroma, as well as a campfire infused taste. Freya Woodsmoke is perfect in a Bloody Mary and takes an Espresso Martini to the next level. The spirit is inspired by Freya, the Norse Goddess of love, fertility and war, encompassing her wildness, independence and freedom. Historically, farmers would worship Freya when extracting sap from the trees. Since its launch, the team have established Freya in a range of the best bars across London, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh. Freya is a premium brand, and the team at Pure Wild Spirits like to translate this to customers through making a strong, consistent effort to deliver a personal service to the bars they work with. This can be though offering cocktail serving suggestions, staff incentives, trainings and cocktail competitions. Being a small company, there is a high degree of transparency between employees as roles naturally overlap and develop as the business expands. David Wallwork is the founder and CEO of Pure Wild Spirits Ltd, and he leads and manages all sectors of the business, placing an emphasis an emphasis on building partnerships and continuing to do an excellent job in promoting the Freya brand. With a wide support network of investors, supporters and partners, the Freya family has grown quickly and is wholly focussed on delivering perfect innovative products and on building a new category of spirits. Amongst the company there is a wealth of expertise, and Saira Thwaites takes care of Business Operations, particularly overseeing events, production, sales and administrative tasks. Simon Howell is the design lead, creating beautiful packaging and communications for Freya. These are shared with the world by their PR and marketing team led by Megan and Rachel. London-based sales agency Indie Brands manage the customer relationships in the UK with Jennie, Logan and Nathan performing the same role in New York where they have recently launched. Additionally, the company is proud of its close relationship with Dr John Walters and the team at the English Spirit Distillery, as they are truly experts at what they do, making Freya in handmade copper stills. The team’s close connection has meant that it is able to deliver the perfect product and creative innovation, with more to come. Within the wine and spirits industry, there have been a number of trend advancements that are encapsulated by Freya Birch Spirit. As the process of extracting the sap does not damage the tree at all, Freya follows the sustainability trend perfectly. In 2017, leading global alcohol trends company IWSR listed ‘plant distillates’ as their number one trend, showcasing Freya as an example of a spirit that caters towards the ever-growing demand for more ‘natural drinks and flavours’. Inspired by ancient traditions from the far north of the world, Freya is distilled from the sap of wild birch trees, harvested just once a year in early spring. This is a spirit to match your own. We profiled Pure Wild Spirits and the Freya brand as we explore the crucial aspects which make it so enticing to clients. Experience the Magical Spirit of Freya; Pure, Wild and Untamed 1805LU01