Symphonia Spirits targets growth in exports

Symphonia Spirits in Moy has signed a new distribution agreement to boost its presence in international markets.

The company, founded by chemist Dr Ulrick Dyer, is now working with Affinity International Liquor at Portarlington in County Laois to expand sales of its award-winning range of premium gins and Irish apple rum.

Dr Dyer says he was attracted by Affinity International’s focus on “matching the very best Irish drinks with the right importers and consumers around the world, delivering unrivalled service to quality Irish drinks brands”.

Affinity International Liquor is an Irish drinks export business dedicated to the distribution and export of beverages, mainly spirits, beers, wines, champagnes, and soft drinks.

Symphonia Spirits are pioneered by Dr Dyer at Woodlab Distillery near Moy in County Tyrone and feature locally sourced ingredients, especially Armagh apples.

Dr Dyer has experience over 30 years as a scientist in the global pharmaceutical industry. He launched the business in a specially kitted out garage at Benburb in 2016.

Around £120,000 was subsequently invested by Dr Dyer in the development of the distillery, warehousing, a gin school and visitor centre in Moy.

The new distillery gives Dr Dyer greater scope to develop his science-led development of spirits using a unique process which is based on rotary evaporation and microwave distilling technology.

These techniques help to ensure that the rich flavours of the botanicals used in gin production are extracted efficiently and preserved in the spirits.

Rotary technology has been proven to be the most efficient in terms of energy use. It’s seen as the most environmentally friendly process because only around a fifth of the energy required for traditional distilling is used in rotary evaporation and the microwave process.

The small batch distillery currently produces two handcrafted gins, both featuring botanicals from the area.

The gins are Symphonia Number 1, a dry gin, and Symphonia Number 2, a gin featuring Bramley apples sourced from local orchards, and Symphonia Number 3, a seasonal Summer Fruit Cup. There’s also an acclaimed Irish apple rum.