•MY COUNTRY BUSINESS
PENTIRE SPIRITS FOUNDER, ALISTAIR FROST
Alistair Frost distills more-ish non-alcoholic spirits that harness the botanicals found along the Cornish cliffs and capture the essence of coastal living
It was, quite literally, the call of the sea that led Alistair Frost to leave his family home in Herefordshire and head to the rugged coastline of North Cornwall when he was just 18. ‘I instantly fell in love with coastal living, and became a surfing instructor,’ he explains. For six years, this healthy outdoorsy way of life – dictated by the elements and the ocean – sustained him. ‘I loved everything about it, from early morning dips in the sea as the sun came up, to a day catching the waves, then camping up on the headland,’ he recalls.
Eventually, however, Alistair realised the time had come to hang up his surfboard – at least for a little while – and try something different. ‘I thought it would be a good idea to experience the bright city lights of London so when my friend, the chef Claude Compton, offered me a job at his restaurant, Claude’s Kitchen, in Parsons Green, I saw it as a great opportunity to experience something new, and be around some of the leading names in the food and drink industry.’
He found it so fascinating, he set up a drinks marketing agency to represent premium spirit brands, ‘even though I didn’t drink much alcohol!’ The experience gave Alistair a keen insight into the market, but he had also begun to notice a tangible shift in attitudes towards alcohol, powered by a younger generation who were keen to maintain a healthier, active lifestyle. ‘I could see a new market for non-alcoholic drinks rapidly emerging which felt fresh and exciting,’ he says. ‘Almost instinctively, the concept for a sophisticated, non-alcoholic botanical drink was born.’
Not surprisingly, it was Alistair’s beloved coastline which inspired the drink’s flavour profile. ‘I wanted to create something that would capture the essence of the surroundings – the scent, the taste, the feel,’ he explains. To celebrate the brand’s provenance, he chose to call the fledgling company after the Pentire headland, near Polzeath. ‘It’s always been a beacon for me, but here coastal botanicals flourish because of the unique climate, soil ph and air moisture levels,’ he says. ‘Not least, they’re rich in healthy, nutritional qualities.’
With his venture secured by private investment, Alistair returned to Cornwall in 2018. ‘Initially, I didn’t even have anywhere to stay, so my van became my living, sleeping and working base for a while!’
Bringing his vision to life took trial and error. ‘Although it is non-alcoholic, Pentire is called a spirit because the plants go through
What I love most...
❝ THE DAY-TO-DAY COASTAL LIFESTYLE WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO ENJOY – AND WHICH INSPIRES, WHOLEHEARTEDLY, EVERYTHING WE DO❞
a distillation process in the same way as gin or vodka. The botanicals are so fresh and delicate, it’s a tricky procedure,’ he explains. ‘Those first attempts at steam distilling the plants we foraged weren’t terribly successful!’
After many dedicated months of working closely with local botanists and distillers, mixologists and chefs, his instincts were proved right. ‘I remember the first time Claude and I sampled what was to become Pentire’s inaugural spirit, Adrift, in Port Isaac’s harbour, and it completely blew us away! It was everything we’d been trying to capture and more...’
When it came to establishing Pentire’s visual identity, Alistair didn’t have to look far. ‘Cornwall has an amazing creative community who worked with us on the design, photography and so on to create the right look and feel,’ he explains. ‘All of it is designed to convey a true sense of what we are and what we believe in. This is not a gigantic brand selling a story created by an agency in a boardroom. Pentire is totally authentic, and encapsulates a lifestyle which we love.’
Since its launch in 2019, the company has seen extraordinary growth. From initially supplying a handful of prestigious local hotels and restaurants, Pentire is now found in 19 countries, and has expanded in other ways, too. Alistair’s business partner Edward Grieg-gran came on board shortly after the launch, and by the end of this year, the company will have a team of 10. Pentire now works closely with a number of carefully vetted botanical plant growers to supply the spirits’ high quality coastal ingredients, along with two Cornish distilleries. This year, the second spirit, Seaward, has launched to great acclaim.
Underpinning it all are solid environmental and ethical principles. ‘In everything we do – from sourcing our ingredients responsibly to the packaging we choose – the aim is to keep our environmental footprint to a minimum,’ explains Alistair. ‘The way we operate is imperative: we want to be part of a growing movement that champions sustainability, positive action and change. We’re currently applying for B Corp certification to join others whose aims are the same.’
At Pentire’s heart there will always be the sea. ‘This is where everything began,’ says Alistair, who now lives with his partner Clementine in a tiny coastal village near Port Isaac. ‘Whenever I can, I head straight down to the shore – usually with my surfboard in tow. Some things will never change!’
Pentiredrinks.com. Pentire supports the Blue Marine Foundation, a charity dedicated to combatting overfishing, one of the world’s biggest environmental challenges; bluemarinefoundation.com