Raise glass to aperitif
THERE are plenty of reasons to smile this summer if you are served a Sipello, the new aperitif that’s chock full of botanicals and UK-sourced fruits including the little-known chuckleberry.
Designed as a relaxing spritzer or an intriguing cocktail base for inventive mixologists, bittersweet Sipello comes in an ornate, eye-catching bottle and is handcrafted in Surrey by first time entrepreneur Tim Simmons.
Seizing on the trend for drinking less and better, the drinks market expert launched the brand in a singlehanded operation last autumn with £100,000 of his own funds.
Production takes four weeks and is an outsourced collaboration with the Silent Pool Distillery, near Guildford, Surrey.
“We had to move the launch because of lockdown – the distillery was making hand sanitiser and there was a shortage of glass,” recalls Simmons.
“I cycled all over London making deliveries after reaching out to furloughed bartenders on Instagram for their input. Bartenders’ opinions are critical. Exciting their interest leads to their wanting to be creative with cocktails and to us getting stocked.”
Currently the majority of sales are on trade, with off trade growing through the website, where gift purchases are strong, and online retailers such asTheWhisky Exchange. “My way of operating is old-school traditional, but out-sourcing and using digital management tools make Sipello a streamlined, modern business,” explains Simmons.
“I was determined to do it because I lost my parents when I was young and I want my daughters to have a secure legacy.”
Every £32 bottle of Sipello has 100 gooseberries, as well as rhubarb, and orris from the iris flower’s root. Gentian adds floral notes while wormwood and red sandalwood lend earthy flavours. The gooseberry, redcurrant and blackcurrant hybrid that is the chuckleberry adds a “jammy sweetness that balances the other fruits’ tartness,” explains Simmons.
“Our sourcing is transparent and our ingredients impacted by the terroir where they are grown just like wine. Customers say how their palates can detect Sipello’s complex layers of flavours and aromas.
“Sipello embodies natural and local, something that chimes with a lighter style of drinking.”
This summer independent sellers, festivals and events will lead the push for growth. Securing listings with premium retailers such as Waitrose or
Selfridges and restaurant chains are other key targets.
Come 2026 Simmons is aiming to be turning over £1million and will look for two rounds of external investment for around £250,000 from next year to scale domestically and overseas in places with a vibrant cocktail scene such as New York and Singapore.
“Authenticity, sustainability, and lower alcohol are the pillars Sipello is built on,” says Simmons. “We are different by nature.”