New gin and vodka from Northern Irish distillery

The Feckin Drinks Co in Northern Ireland is rolling out a rebrand of its popular Irish whiskey, while introducing a new gin and vodka to the portfolio.

Based at the Echlinville Distillery at Kircubbin in county Down, Feckin first hit the spirits scene in 2005 with the launch of Feckin Irish Whiskey, which saw success across Ireland, the US and Europe.

With the addition of a refreshing lemon infused gin and a smooth, crisp vodka to the range, the Feckin Drinks Co sets out to appeal to millennials and the 'young at heart' with its edgy branding and tongue-in-cheek humour. It's a fun brand with some serious taste.

Feckin's Anne-Marie Watsonsays: "The spirits business has become very crowded in recent years. The market is awash with premium craft brands with very clever but extremely serious branding. With Feckin we have sought to create something a little less highbrow and lot more fun. And with quality Irish spirits the bottle, it tastes as good as it looks.

"Feckin is a brand with a great sense of humour. It's edgy, witty, a little bit cheeky and it doesn't take itself too seriously. It sets out to appeal to anyone who might be tiring of all the highfaluting talk around spirits these days, and gets back to basics with great tasting whiskey, gin and vodka with a splash of wisecrack thrown in for good measure.

"We recently took the Feckin family to Gin Experience Dublin, Ireland's biggest gin show, where it received a great reception. People loved the taste, the look and the light-hearted brand ethos. And with some sunshine finally on the way, Feckin Gin will make a deliciously refreshing summer tipple, served with tonic, lemon and some fresh berries."

The Feckin name is a slang expletive, synonymous with the Father Ted TV show, Anne-Marie Watson explains: "Feckin is actually derived from the Irish verb 'feck' meaning to steal, throw or leave in a hurry. It is also the name of an old Irish saint. St Fechin founded several monasteries around Ireland in the 7th century. He had supernatural powers and healing abilities. But he wasn't willing to use those gifts to save himself and he died from the yellow plague in 684AD."