Europe's largest rum distillery set to open doors near Warsop

Dropworks, based on the Welbeck Estate, has been three years in the planning – and is set to be Europe’s largest rum distillery.

Located close to the Harley Gallery and School of Artisan Food and Welbeck Abbey Brewery, DropWorks was founded by owner Lewis Hayes, who has been in the drinks industry for the past 18 years.

The distillery will have the capacity to produce up to 10 barrels of rum per day.

The bespoke copper equipment used at the distillery is the first of its kind in Britain, which will be opening to the public for tours and tastings.

Lewis said: “DropWorks is a fresh face in the category and is all about bringing rum into the modern era. We stand out – you can see this across everything we do.

“We have a strong identity centred around fun and we are proud of the quality in our production. We can’t wait for you to try it and see for yourselves.”

Dropworks boasts it uses high-quality ingredients, high-specification equipment, quality packaging and an expert team – head distiller Shaun Smith has previously launched multiple distilleries around the UK.

James Mann, a business expansion specialist at Invest in Nottingham, has been an integral part in the plans.

He said: “We were thrilled to help Lewis and the DropWorks team secure their brilliant location in Welbeck. Bringing the largest rum distillery in Europe to Nottinghamshire is a great story to add to our local narrative and will create further jobs for people in the region.

“Nottinghamshire traditionally has a strong food and drink sector, and a thriving hospitality industry in the city centre. To add a local and high-quality rum to our offering is a fantastic opportunity that further cements our reputation in the industry.”

The DropWorks Distillery has already begun producing rum, with bottles being made available to the public on April 24.

TheFloatingRumShack.com said: “It's no surprise to see the scale of the endeavour being undertaken at The Dropworks. This facility is built to seize the moment and build for a bright future.”