Two Drifters Distillery

This is Gemma Wakeham and I holding each other up before we close Two Drifters Distillery for a much needed rest. 2024 has been a rollercoaster, with some of our toughest trading months alongside our best ever. The unpredictable economic climate made forecasting a challenge, but we’re thrilled to end the year having sold more rum than ever before. For a startup like ours, that’s the ultimate win! We’re tired but happy, and the distillery is in great shape. Now it’s time to eat, drink, sleep, be with family, and recharge. Then, we’ll be ready to tackle another exciting, unpredictable, and rewarding year of running a rum distillery. Here’s to 2025 – let’s make it another one to remember! Cheers to all who’ve supported us along the way. 🥂

Our British brands Compass Box , Two Drifters Distillery and Renais Gin | B Corp™ presenting well at the British Consulate today against a stunning Sydney backdrop.

When you buy a bottle of Two Drifters Rum, you’re not just supporting a brand - you’re supporting us, Russ & Gemma! Amazingly, we’re still having a lot of fun on this crazy ride! Russ Wakeham Two Drifters Distillery

Awards, account wins, rates of sale, cocktail listings etc are all great achievements but the best reviews are the honest ones—left unprompted by those who try the liquid and feel compelled to share their experience. Like this guy, on our instagram page last night. Makes me, Gemma Wakeham and Two Drifters Distillery very happy.

📊 Gemma Wakeham and I have been diving into sales data, and while exact figures are tricky, we have a solid sense of why accounts are choosing Two Drifters Distillery over other rums. 🏆 Interestingly, our biggest volume deals this year haven’t centred on our carbon-negative footprint at all—they’ve been won through classic blind tastings and pricing negotiations! 🌎 This is exactly what we’ve always hoped for: proving that being eco-conscious doesn’t mean compromising on taste or craftsmanship. Quality and sustainability can, and should, go hand in hand. 📺 Even our massive spike in DTC sales after our BBC feature wasn’t about our sustainability credentials—it was about showing our distillery, our determination, and, most importantly, our rums (our carbon negative footprint wasn't even mentioned) 💪 We built our business around our carbon negative footprint because I knew how to and every business has a responsibility to the planet. Our rums are good enough without the eco story attached to them, which is (in my opinion) the only way truly sustainable products will succeed.

👃 🥰 this smells so good! It’s our boozy fermented molasses before it’s distilled into Two Drifters Distillery rum. Like a Christmas pudding! Russ Wakeham

From launching with easyJet, receiving an overwhelming response after being featured on the BBC in March, securing reorders from Denmark, Italy, and Canada, expanding to Australia, and winning The Spirits Business Sustainability Award—the milestones just keep coming (and there’s even more that won’t fit in a LinkedIn post!). 🚀🌍 It’s moments like these that make me reflect on how far we’ve come with Two Drifters Distillery. Thanks to Gemma Wakeham for reminding me: it’s been five years since the molasses tank disaster. The night before BBC Saturday Kitchen came to film us, the tank exploded—covering everything in sticky chaos! After a full day of cleaning, I decided to “just tighten the seal” before heading home… BIG mistake. 🤦♂️ 😱 Every founder knows: those early days shape the journey ahead. Here’s to remembering where we started while looking forward to what’s next! 🙌

An ode to White Rum! Especially Two Drifters Distillery Pure White Rum Russ Wakeham

Following on from our exciting news about winning The Spirits Business Sustainability Award 2024, we wanted to share more about what the judges had to say! 🌍🥃 💚 From farming and production to innovation in bottling and care for people and communities, Two Drifters Distillery was described as a brand that "ticked all the boxes" and was, in their words, "awesome." 🏆 This award is more than recognition—it’s a validation of our commitment to sustainability. From pioneering carbon capture technology to ensuring responsible practices at every step, we’re proving that a small, passionate brand can set a global standard in the spirits industry. 📈 We’re proud to have received such high praise and to continue setting new benchmarks for sustainability in our field. Onwards Gemma Wakeham!

📣 WE WON! 📣 Amazing night at the The Spirits Business award last night. Two Drifters Distillery don't enter many awards, they are expensive and we want them to mean something. This means a lot. Last night, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the biggest names in the industry, and we’re proud to say we held our own. 🌟 💚 We push the boundaries to ensure our rum doesn’t contribute to climate change—because, honestly, why should any spirit? I missed being there with Gemma Wakeham but today was an important one for our daughter—a taster day at a new school. She needed one of us to walk her in. The balancing act of running your own business and family life never stops. #rum #startup #climatechange