Page 6 - Chase Case Study

Chase sourced a traditional type of still to make the vodka

base but his research told me that to get the best quality,
without filtering out all of the character, he needed a

bespoke rectifying column. Searching for a supplier led him

to a German family firm with over 100 years of experience

to supply one. Chase also sourced a rectifying column that
distilled the vodka 50 times. Because of that he didn’t need

to filter it. It was of such high quality.

Obsessive Zeal –V- Obsessive Compulsive

Chase was scathing of many of the new artisan gin

producers popping up across the UK. "There are a lot of twee
stories in this market. Most of these so-called artisan or

boutique distillers just buy in neutral grain spirit for 20p a litre;

it costs us about £4 a litre [to make}".

The company sells its £38- a-bottle spirits in Waitrose and

Booths, but Chase was wary of the supermarket giants – in

the early days of Tyrrells, he sparked a media frenzy over his
refusal to sell his chips in Tesco. Spirits are often treated by

big retailers as a loss leader, shunted into aggressive

promotions – and Chase doesn't have the capacity to be
selling at a discount. Instead, it sells through wine

merchants, who appreciate the "pedigree… It costs what it

does. We're not making any money out of it," Chase claimed,

because it's expensive to make." Each batch numbered bottle
is a true labour of love, using traditional methods to

produce the finest, smoothest vodka with true provenance.