Having previously discussed how young people are thinking about wine these days (a theme I’ll pick up on again very soon), I have just heard about a really interesting company set up to sell premium and craft spirits by a couple of young men who met whilst studying in Bristol. They founded The Fine Spirits Company in order to sell premium and craft spirits to an increasingly adventurous and discerning clientel. and indeed they’d fit into the “wine heroes” theme were it not for the fact that they are not selling wine.

Kim Wells and Matt Parsons don’t look one bit like traditional purveyors of expensive liquors (they are young, they have no grey hair and as far as I know don’t speak with deep, gravelly voices). I’m pretty sure they’ve probably imbibed their fair share of less refined spirits on their way to the appreciation of these premium products, though possibly not to the extent of the youngsters I see round my way pouring cheap corner shop vodka into half-full Coke bottles as they enjoy the increasingly sunny half-term evenings down here on the South Coast. What Kim and Matt have clearly done is sussed that after “craft beer” must surely come “craft spirits”, not that the premium spirits revolution has been a secret over the past few years.

Their web site (thefinespiritscompany.co.uk) has a very fine array of gin (their self-proclaimed speciality), rum, whiskies and vodka. Some of their offerings are pretty specialist, some are obscure, but all of them are enticing.

Alongside the whiskies from Japan (including Nikka) there’s a clear (unwooded) whisky from FEW, based in Evaston, Illinois (cheekily named after Frances Elizabeth Willard, a prominent prohibitionist). There’s rum from LSD (this stands for Lost Spirits Distillery, though you might wonder if you follow the link to read about the producer of this particular rum). Also, check out the Black Cow vodka from Dorset, England. Allegedly the only vodka on the market made from milk by a dairy farmer, Jason Barber.

Alongside the rarer and more unusual offerings you’ll also find products from better known names like Adnams, the East London Liquor Company, Suntory even, and the Reyka Distillery, the  multi-award winning Icelandic vodka (the advert they link to is clever). Still no sign of Brighton Gin on the list, but I am sure they’ll get round to it.

Not only is the stock intriguing but their blog (via the web site) is also a good read, as are many of the producer links. It’s a really exciting range, and I wish these young guys all the luck in their new venture. I’m pretty sure that many readers of this blog would be fascinated to try some of the bottles on offer.