A FORMER city worker from Winchester has celebrated one very successful year in business as he unveiled the new site for his company.

Winchester Distillery owner Paul Bowler – creator of the increasingly popular Twisted Nose gin – has moved from premises in Winnall to a new location in Old Alresford; right on the doorstep of the watercress beds.

It’s the perfect move for the 43-year-old, he said, because it’s the exact ingredient that gives his product its unique flavour.

And with a ready-to-drink spring water source on tap it means he no longer has to trek to the New Forest for another component.

His new 1,200 sq ft warehouse means he can increase his productivity from 50 bottles to 250 bottles per batch and will no longer have to distil at his home in Upper Brook Street.

It also means he can start looking into further diversifying his product range following the success of his wasabi-flavoured vodka, extra dry vermouth and can make more of his sloe gin in time for Christmas.

“Here I can bring everything under one roof and it’s the size that’s the main thing,” he said. “I got orders coming in and was soon getting under my own feet but here I can do 250 bottles at a time which will improve my efficiency as well as bring the overall costs down.”

And as the orders are “flying in” according to Mr Bowler, it means he can now get to work on marketing the products – something he’s held back on for fear of being oversubscribed.

“Now I can start building it to the next level which will be great,” he added. “The products are well-established now and going pretty well. I cannot believe it’s been a year already. There’s no looking back now.”