Copeland Spirits actually came out of something that, to begin with, was completely hypothetical, when Gareth Irvine was challenged to create a (hypothetical) business while at university. With sustainability at the forefront of his mind and a close relationship with his uncle (a whisky distiller), paired with a passion for spirits, Gareth began to explore the idea of creating gin using local produce from Northern Ireland. What we now know as Copeland Spirits was founded in the summer of 2016, helped along with a large contribution from crowdfunding. Based in the rural town of Saintfield, its focus is purely on creating artisan and delicious handcrafted spirits, using fresh local produce from the fields of County Down.