First look inside £2m V Rum distillery opening in Eastleigh

V Rum is being created, taste-tested, and sold from the distillery in Parham Drive.

Described as “the Nando’s of the rum industry”, the ‘premium’ brand was created by Swanmore couple Nicole and Carl Churchill, who have never forayed into the world of alcohol before.

But both were driven to try something new that would benefit Eastleigh and the wider Southampton area.

“We have no experience in this field, we saw the opportunity and went for it”, Carl said.

'Rum made from scratch'

Nicole and Carl Churchill of V Rum in Eastleigh (Image: Newsquest) Carl said the rum market is very competitive, but he and Nicole have something that sets them apart.

He said: “We are one of the few rum distilleries in the UK who make everything from scratch.

“We make our rum using yeast and molasses, and water straight from Southampton. We are wanting to make one million bottles a year.

“Nicole and I spent £2m of our own cash on the distillery, and we chose this site as we only live in Swanmore.

“Plus, being in Eastleigh means it is well connected to the motorway and Southampton’s port.

“There will be about 25 people working for us here by the end of the year which includes people from the area.”

READ MORE: Nine more Southampton pubs that have made it into this year's Good Beer Guide

Nicole added: “We have a fantastic team, and there are some amazing people in Southampton we have recruited.

“There is a great talent pool in the city and surrounding area, and we are very focused on investing locally.”

Driven by a love for local and sustainability, the pair want to shake up the world of rum as we know it.

The distillery not only makes rum, but environmentally-conscious choices too.

Carl said: “Sustainability is a big part of our business. We recycle rainwater, we hoped to have solar energy installed this year and 100 per cent of our electricity is renewable. And some of our gas is generated from grass.”

The V team even use leftover sugar cane to make the labels for the rum.

'The process makes the flavour'

Carl and Nicole hope the refit of the distillery will be completed by the end of November.

The pair recently took a delivery of large alcohol fermentation machines, meaning they will have 24,000 litres of fermenting capacity.

The distillery is also home to a custom-made alcohol distiller shipped from Germany, and a smaller version.

This equipment helps Carl and Nicole to create their rum, which has so far proven popular via online and business sales.

V Rum in Eastleigh (Image: Newsquest) Carl said: “We’re already being sold at The Savoy in London, and we will be appearing in grocery stores and airlines and trains in the future. To make pure rum, you can only use yeast, molasses and water. If you add any flavour, it becomes a ‘rum style spirit’.

“But a lot of the flavour is created from the method of distillation. The flavour will carry through the process.

“We do two types of distilling, one of which is pot, to get a good taste and strength.

“We have to make a great liquid, and it is all about the process which is very scientific.

“Our head distiller often uses test tubes in his work. He is from Wales and comes down here to work on a Monday and returns home on a Thursday.

“He has done this for more than a decade.”

'Big ambitions'

Nicole and Carl are keen to make themselves and their brand known in Eastleigh and the wider Southampton area.

But since selling their rum online, the feedback has been positive.

Carl said: “We are not big drinkers ourselves, unless of course we are drinking our own product.

“We wanted to come into this industry as we saw the opportunity.”

“The response to our rum and the business so far has been great, and people want to work for us, especially as we have big ambitions for the company.

“Rum is a very versatile spirit, and it continues to grow in the alcohol market. We want V to be the brand that drives rum sales.”

V currently sells three types of rum: premium white rum at £24.99 a bottle, overproof white rum at £32.99 a bottle and a spiced rum.

Nicole and Chris are also working on a fleet of mobile bars which they can take around the country.

They are keen to target festivalgoers and events to ensure their brand reaches a broad audience.

V Rum can be purchased online at vrum.co.uk and will soon appear in supermarkets.