ANDREW MADDEN JOINS AS HEAD OF OPERATIONS – TO DRIVE GROWTH AND NEW SPIRITS
● Ex-Brewdog Head of Brewing joins Master Distiller Tarquin Leadbetter to turbocharge growth at
Tarquin’s Gin maker, Southwestern Distillery in Cornwall.
● New Product Development is key to Andrew’s new role as the distillery looks at new spirits
including whisky, after the successful launch of Twin Fin Rum in 2020.
Cornish Gin maker Southwestern Distillery is delighted to announce the hire of Andrew Madden as
Head of Operations. Previously Head of Brewing at BrewDog and before that Head of Production at
Sharp’s. Industry leader Andrew has joined in the 10th year of Tarquin’s Gin to drive future growth
in the business, in the same month Tarquin’s won national supermarket listings in Sainsbury’s and
Waitrose for its flagship Tarquin’s Cornish Gin.
10 years since first teaching himself how to distill gin, Tarquin has established his eponymous gin
brand as one of the largest and fastest-growing super-premium Cornish gin brands in the UK, with volumes
hitting 42,000 9 litre cases in 2021, but never one to rest on his laurels, he is determined to continue
to grow the business and keep experimenting.
Tarquin tells us that the brand is “always looking to try new things and test new products.” He adds
that “The company is incredibly proud of its award-winning gins but loves to experiment and
innovate on taste.”

Explaining that he loves the process of distilling and the endless possibilities, Tarquin proudly states
that “the success of Twin Fin over the last 2 years is proof that we can innovate in new categories
and I’m incredibly excited to work alongside Andrew to develop the future.”
With a view to enter new spirits categories, with an eye on whisky in particular, Tarquin has been
spurred on by the success of Twin Fin Rum.
First launched in June 2020, mid-lockdown, the tropical rum brand is now one of the fastest growing
premium spiced rum brands in the UK.
Twin Fin has also established itself internationally having recently won a tender in Canada with the
LCBO for 2023, shaking up the rum space with bold tropical flavours and bottles that stand out
amongst the traditionally dark, muted colours of a category that is finally coming to life.
Tarquin’s has brought together a diverse set of talent to support the future of Southwestern
Distillery. Hiring Andrew, who has degrees in distilling and brewing, and market-leading experience
from Diageo, Sharp’s, and Brewdog, has created one of the world’s best craft distilling teams which
will support the consistency and quality of existing products in the market while creating strong
challenger brands in the future.

Andrew explains that he’s “incredibly excited to work with Tarquin and the team at Southwestern
Distillery. The lure to return to Cornwall with my family – to enjoy time at the beach while making
some of the world’s best gin was an opportunity too good to miss!”
He goes on to say that “The future of the company has remarkable scope for development, and I’m
thrilled to join a strong team to take on the diverse set of ideas and innovations that Tarquin and his
team have been working on!”
Tarquin’s has recently won 4 international gin awards including a double gold at the San Francisco
Spirit Awards for Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin. His first experiment launched in 2012 and over a decade
later, this family-owned distillery continues to push the boundaries of innovative spirits and is
establishing itself as a leader in craft distilling.
Explore Tarquin’s Cornish Gin online shop and get 15% Off. Use code SHOPCORNISH