Welcome to the Isle of Wight’s first most famous distillery, producing fabulous spirits and bottling them in beautiful, sea-inspired bottles.

Founders Xavier and Conrad and their small team distil spirits in an eco-conscious way. Minimising waste, they use ethically sourced and often local ingredients to create a collection of smooth, complex Mermaid spirits.

Signature Mermaid Gin blends fresh organic lemon zest and peppery grains of paradise, with a hint of sea air from locally foraged, fragrant rock samphire – a refreshing and invigorating serve. Mermaid’s name was inspired by its lead botanical rock samphire, known locally as ‘mermaid’s kiss’. This aromatic succulent clings to the cliffs surrounding the island and marks the high tide line on its majestic beaches.

Also distilled here, Mermaid Pink Gin is infused with fresh Island strawberries grown in the rich and fertile microclimate of the Arreton Valley. Mermaid Zest Gin is made with grapefruit, island bergamot and wild-foraged coastal rosemary. And a  favourite with mixologists, Mermaid Salt Vodka is subtly enhanced with salt harvested from the flood tides off the island’s south coast.

Inspired by a shipwreck that carried rum cargo to the island in 1836, Mermaid Spiced Rum marries Caribbean rums from Trinidad and the Dominican Republic with local fruits and spices from the Isle of Wight. Yo, ho, ho!

The distillery’s on-site Mermaid Bar on the outskirts of Ryde is the perfect place to sample the spirit collection and watch the stills in action. Subject to availability, there are distillery talks and tastings, too. Afterwards, enjoy a Mermaid and tonic (or two) on the terrace, with views across picturesque countryside.