Anno 2017 Review

2017 has been a wonderful year for Anno! Not only have we welcomed a host of new staff members to the Anno family, it has been our busiest year of production and most successful year of sales yet. We would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year! If you'll be celebrating the occasions with a glass of Anno why not take a look at our Christmas Cocktails or New Year’s drinks suggestions?

Here are some of our achievements from the past 12 months...

We have received new awards and titles to add to our collection. Our over proof spirit, Anno 60 Squared, has been awarded the silver medals from San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the International Wine and Spirits Competition as well as winning its first Great Taste Gold Star. It was a good year for our Kent Dry Gin, which was voted into the top 5 in this year’s Hot Craft Spirits competition and won a silver award in The Gin Masters. Our Sloe Gin, not to be left out, was voted into second place in this year’s Sloe Gin World Championships.

 

 

Crowdfunding

As you may already know, we're currently in the midst of a Crowdfunding Campaign to raise funds to expand the Anno brand. The campaign will end on January 19th - an extension from the original deadline to take into account the festive period.  

Through the Seedrs platform we are hoping to raise £750,000. These funds will be put towards sales and marketing drives as well as supporting operations meet the increase in demand. Ginvestors of over £200 will receive special perks. Please visit our crowdfunding page to request more info! 

Anno 602 Gin

A wonderful year for our over proof gin! This year our 60 Squared became a permanent member of the Anno family. Originally a limited edition, popular demand has meant that it's now an enduring part of the range. It's also now multi-award winning as it was awarded three titles this year, including a Gold star in the Great Taste Awards. 

Anno Kent Dry Gin

Our ever-popular signature gin has continued to be in demand as word of its complex flavour and smoothness spread around the country. Its highlight this year was being voted as one of the top 5 'Hot Craft Spirits' in a consumer vote.

Anno Cranberry & Gin

Our festively spiced spirit has been even more popular this year - With production beginning in January, it was another 9 months before it was bottles and ready to be released. This year we have produced double the amount of cranberry gin than last year!

Anno is SALSA Accredited!

In the spring of 2017 the Anno Distillery was inspected and tested by SALSA (Safe And Local Supplier Approval) to receive an accreditation that would guarantee all of our products are produced to the highest standards of the industry. Anno are one of only 4 distilleries in the UK to have this accreditation. 

 

New Staff!

​This year we have taken on 5 new members of staff at the distillery. Jemima started at the beginning of January to run all things social media, as well as organise events and do some of our design work. Next was Graham, our Man-About-Kent, a new Business Development Manager to spread the good word of Anno! In production, we took on Jake, a distillery apprentice to help Mike with all the day-to-day operations, we now wonder how we ever got by without him! Our latest recruits are Judith and Andrea. Judith is a life-long gin fan who is now an integral part of Anno, running the office, managing all our incoming orders and Tour & Tasting bookings. Andrea is a wine & spirits expect, who is now an Anno Brand Ambassador, currently completing his accreditation at Plumpton College, he has been a guest judge for a variety of wine and spirit competitions. 

Bring on 2018!

In 2018 we expect a busy and exciting year! Tour & Tasting dates are now available up until the end of May, with many tastings already fully booked - If you're giving or receiving vouchers for Christmas, please don't hesitate to book a date! For the first time, we are now opening the distillery doors on Saturdays, so we can welcome even more ginthusiasts through them! Events are already being planned and booked, an up to date calendar will be released in January!

In the meantime, the Anno scientists are still experimenting and concocting plans for new and wonderful flavours and products... watch this space!