In 2018, Anna and Orla O’Carroll, who had met at art school in Bristol, moved to Valentia Island off the coast of Kerry. They fell in love with the island and got married in Valentia Island lighthouse.
Living on an island surrounded by wild winds, salt, and botanicals inspired them to create Ireland’s first vermouth, which they released onto Irish shelves in 2021 after graduating from the Supervalu Food Academy.
Valentia Island Vermouth won Gold in the Fermented Alcoholic Drinks Category as well as Best in Kerry and Best Artisan Producer for 2024.
At Blas the awards are based on blind tasting, our judges review solely on the food and drink they are tasting, they don’t know who has made it or where it is coming from. This blind element is a key part of our judging to allow a level playing field for all. However, once the judging is done we love nothing more than learning all about the producers just like Anna & Orla at Valentia Island Vermouth
When & why did you start your business?
We went to shelf in 2021 after doing the SuperValu Food Academy. Anna and I met in art school in Bristol and Anna’s background was in catering in lots of well established restaurants in Bristol. She was invited to a vermouth tasting by Kate Hawkings and fell in love with the stuff. I am originally from Co.Wicklow, but spent ever Summer in Kerry. It was only when we moved into our little cottage on Valentia that we had enough space in every way, to start experimenting with the local plants for the vermouth. My Dad is a beekeeper from Kerry and his plant knowledge from the bees was integral to us when we were starting the vermouth – he would text and say that the heather or the gorse was in blossom and to try them in the vermouth.
Who is your food inspiration?
I think Ireland is my food inspiration. I am very interested in what we as Irish people were making, that wasn’t necessarily written down. When I was researching gorse for our vermouth, I found that we Irish people used to make Gorse wine all the time, but it got lost somewhere along the way. I also really appreciate that because of all our rain, we have some of the BEST milk, cheese and butter in the world.
What do you love about your job?
I love everyone that we get to meet, whether they are other producers like us, farmers, or people at the different markets and food festivals we do, I love hearing all their incredible stories.
What is your typical day?
No two days are the same but Anna always makes me tea in bed. Then we get up and have brekkie. We take our dog Nanuk for a walk down to the sea and then head into the vermouthery. Anna will be either steeping botanicals, or making caramel. Alyssa, who works with us will be labelling or designing and I will be mainly working on new recipes or on social media stuff. We do a lot of events and food festivals so the weekends are filled with driving up and down the country, meeting people and telling them all about the vermouth. The feedback is always excellent and people love the versatility of the vermouth, they can have it as a V&T or with Prosecco as a Spritz or make classic cocktails like the Negroni, Martinis, Manahattans. People usually go away having bought a few bottles to bring back as gifts for their friends and family.
What was your best day since you started your business?
In fairness there’s lots of great days and also lots of challenging days, but winning Best Artisan Producer in Ireland, along with Best in Kerry and Gold in our category in the recent Blas Awards, was phenomenal. We were also awarded as a Bord Bía Origin Green Gold member and the overall Irish Drinks Award from the Guild of Irish Food Writers, earlier this year.
Where do your ingredients come from?
Our Gorse is local. Our base wine is an organic, vegan Verdejo from the Rueda Valley in Spain. In our current recipes trials we are using local seaweeds.
Tell us about the people you work with?
Small Businesses are so full of lots of moving parts so the people you work with are a huge part of your day to day life. We are so lucky with the people we work with. Alyssa who works with us in production, also holds a graphic design qualification so she also designs our gift bags and business cards and some of our artwork for social media. We film our video series Cocktails in the Cottage with the amazing Joleen Cronin who has the most wonderful eye and is able to create these hilarious and engaging videos of us making in cocktails from our cottage, or on location at the Lighthouse in Valentia.
What 3 words would you use to describe your business?
Successful
Innovative
Dynamic
What do you think is the key to success?
Timing
Kindness
Communication
Humour
Be yourself
Determination
Has there been one single moment which has changed how you look at your business?
In general, to go with the flow and don’t sweat the small stuff. Keep going in the right direction. If it will happen, it will. You kinda have to trust that it will work out.
Valentia Island Vermouth is available in Brown Thomas, Avoca, Tescos and O’Briens around the country. It is also in select Supervalu stores, good independent off licences, 5* hotels and Michelin starred and premium restaurants and retailers nationwide.