Evie: So, how did Revival Rum come to life?

Shelley: Revival Rum was actually planned during the first lockdown. We had an old poultry building that wasn’t being used, so we applied for our distiller’s licence from HMRC and set about converting it. From the start, we knew we wanted to specialise in Jamaican‑style rums, and today we’re proud to have one of only two copper double‑retort stills in the entire UK!

Evie: You’ve already had some incredible achievements. What moments stand out?

Shelley: Winning a Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition was huge — especially for our very first unaged rum release. Another memorable moment is our first cask, filled on 8 September 2022, the day Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away. It’s still resting in the cask room.

Evie: Wow! What a huge achievement. What can visitors look forward to this year?

Shelley: Perfect timing — we’re just preparing to launch our Distilling Experience Day. Visitors will be able to spend a morning or afternoon in the distillery, distilling their very own bottle of rum using a miniature double‑retort still. We’re incredibly excited about it. Watch this space!

Evie: We can’t wait for that. Is there something people are always surprised to learn when they visit?

Shelley: Yes — that James, our master distiller, is actually a farmer. That one always gets a reaction.

Evie: It’s unexpected facts like that which make a visit memorable. Do you have a favourite place on site?

Shelley: The dunnage warehouse. Opening the door and getting that wonderful aroma never gets old. And I love seeing the look on people’s faces when they walk in during a tour.

Evie: What do people talk about after a tour?

Shelley: Definitely the whole tour and tasting in general. People love having proper time with James, asking questions, hearing the full story, and tasting the rum. And once our distilling experience launches, we think that will become a real talking point too.

Evie: Can you give us a snippet from one of your tours? What’s the story behind your most popular product, for example?

Shelley: The rise in spiced rum inspired us to create our own — but we wanted something different. Ours is one of the few spiced rums that doesn’t rely on vanilla, and it’s now our best seller.

Evie: Awesome. One thing we’re asking businesses just for fun is: If your business had a theme song, what would it be?

Shelley: Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Rum has so many facets — light, dark, mysterious — and that song captures the mood perfectly.

Evie: Anything you’d like to highlight for English Tourism Week?

Shelley: We’re really proud of our collaboration with Beekeeper Honey in Brackley. They supply all the honey for our Honey & Anise rum, and we supply the rum for the Christmas hampers they give to farmers who host their hives. It’s a lovely local partnership.

Evie: Talking of local businesses, you recently received a highly commended at the Northamptonshire Tourism Business Awards. How did that feel?

Shelley: Very proud — and pleased that our team can see their hard work being recognised.

Evie: And what’s next?

Shelley: Selling more rum!