Salford Rum is stepping into new territory – but staying true to its Northern working-class roots – with the launch of Salford Gin, which joins its line-up of iconic rums on 8th February.

Born from the backstreets of industrial Salford, Salford Gin – the Distillery’s very first gin – takes a further step back in time from the famous docks, when the city was shaped by mills, factories and the people who worked in them. During the industrial revolution, workers brewed and distilled at home in the cramped ‘blind backs’ of Salford – single-room houses with no rear windows, proving creativity and intuition know no boundaries.  This untold chapter of Greater Manchester history forms the heart of Salford Gin.

Crafted in small batches at the Salford Distillery (formerly known as the Dirty Old Town Distillery), Salford Gin is a Classic London Dry Gin Distilled to 40% with juniper and lime on the nose, followed by warming notes of willow bark and lemon balm with a long smooth finish.  The result is a smooth yet punchy spirit with bright citrus notes – designed to really shine in a classic G&T.

Willow bark plays a particularly meaningful role in the recipe. Long before brick and smoke defined the skyline, willow trees lined the banks of the River Irwell, giving rise to the very name Salford. It’s a botanical rooted in place – just like the gin itself.

Tommy Gaughan, co-founder of Salford Distillery said: “We are incredibly proud to branch out into gin – another spirit that captures the essence of local history and tells a story of the city’s fascinating past. Rum told the story of the docks. Gin takes us further back to the role Salford played in the country’s Industrial Revolution. This shows up on the bottle as a reminder of the responsibility we feel in telling Salford’s story on a national stage.”

The story continues in the design. The bottle’s map illustration – by the legendary Dave Draws – is drawn from the perspective of Manchester looking across the Irwell into Salford, capturing key landmarks from the era, including Trinity Church, founded in 1635 and still standing on Chapel Street today. Every detail is a nod to the city’s past; resilient, resourceful, and proudly Northern.

Salford Gin doesn’t romanticise the city’s history – it honours it. Inspired by accounts such as The Conditions of the Working Classes by Friedrich Engels, the gin reflects a time when life was hard, but ingenuity and creativity still thrived.

The launch marks a new chapter for Salford Distillery, historically known for its rums with a cult following nationwide, as it expands its portfolio while remaining fiercely authentic to its origins.

From rum to gin, from blind backs to bar tops, Salford Gin a spirit shaped by the city that made it. Look out for the launch at www.salforddistillery.com