Meet Andrew Kaye
Andrew is the man behind Chestnut House – he opened the shop in 2016 with his wife Emma and is very hands on. He grew a taste for gin, so it’s no wonder he keeps an eye on the gin wall! When you meet him – expect good ‘crack and banter’.
Favourite tipple: Obviously, our own Cumberland Saucy Gin, but I also love Bedrock Gin too – it was one of the first we stocked. I like a clean fresh citrus-based gin that’s also very smooth.
Takeaway tea break choice: Black coffee with Traybakes Salted Caramel Brownie
Supper off the shelf: I’m very partial to a Low Howgill Sausage Roll, handmade and very local.
Fun outside work: Walking with the dogs and my family
More about Andrew:
Retail is in Andrew’s blood, so it’s no surprise that he now owns and runs a couple of shops in Pooley Bridge with his wife Emma. His Grandpa had Tobacconist and off licences in the North East, but at age 4, Andrew moved to Ullswater with his family, growing up and helping out at his Dad’s shop at Parkfoot Holiday Park.
After leaving university he became retail Manager in Keswick’s Oxfam shop, then spent 7 years running and developing the shop at Lowther Holiday Park, before launching his own shop here at Chestnut House, Pooley Bridge.
Andrew and his wife Emma started the shop together and with their passion for gin, have slowly built up their knowledge and range of gins in the shop. There was no grand plan to create a wall of gin, but it evolved as Andrew listened to what customers thought of the local spirits. To begin with it was The Lakes Gin, Bedrock Gin, Toffee Vodka and Kendal Mint Liqueur, but that range of specialist spirits has grown to more than 400 different options.
Andrew is an advocate of local produce and has been instrumental in growing the number of locally sourced food and drink. And of course, he loves testing it all too.
Did you know that Andrew is a gin creator? He set about developing a contemporary gin that has local tradition at its heart. He selected the zesty flavours of a local favourite condiment ‘Cumberland Sauce’ to enhance his gin. And with a nod to his sense of humour, he called it Cumberland Saucy Gin.
Cumberland Sauce is regularly served with cold meats. Cumberland Saucy Gin shares the characteristics of the sauce with a simple mix of botanicals featuring juniper berries, redcurrant, orange peel, black peppercorns and a hint of mustard and coriander.
You’ll get sweet orange and tart redcurrants to the fore that gives it a citrus fresh taste which mellows into warming spicy tones for the perfect finish. It is, of course, Andrew’s tipple of choice!
