A family-run distillery originally known for its gin, has launched a new brand of vodka.

The Dragon Slayer distillery opened its doors in November 2021 at a site near Neasham a few miles out of Darlington, when Yasmin Gibson, and her father, Paul, decided to turn their gin-tasting hobby into a business.

27-year-old Yasmin has been determined to see the growth of Dragon Slayer Distillery, whose name was inspired by medieval tales and folklore in the North East, however, the Gibson family were waiting for the right time to launch their new premium spirit, Silver Knight, in three flavours: Original, Citrus, and Berry.

“Ever since the launch of Dragon Slayer, I knew I wanted to diversify beyond just gin – my aspiration is for it to be a household name, and this is a step in the right direction.

“The gin market can be saturated at times, so I’m excited to reach a new client base with our range of delicious vodkas.

“We definitely feel we’ve had the advantage of learning a lot about the distilling process with our gin range, so it’s been a lot of fun creating and experimenting with the new flavours and ingredients.

“Of course, we take as much pride in our vodkas as we do our gins, they’re all small-batch distilled with premium locally-sourced ingredients – we don’t skimp, quality is paramount!”

Darlington and Stockton Times: Paul Gibson: founder & father, Yasmin Gibson: managing directorPaul Gibson: founder & father, Yasmin Gibson: managing director (Image: Dragon)

Yasmin runs the distillery with the help of her soon-to-be husband, Will Sandick, who is responsible for concocting the new products.

He said: “Well, they don’t call me master distiller for no reason!

“It’s without a doubt my favourite part of the whole job, locking myself away in the warehouse and trailing and testing new flavours.

“I love it when we finally get the perfect balance of ingredients, and the whole family are able to try it together on a Friday evening – it’s so rewarding, and I can’t wait for the public to give all three options a try, too.”

Since launching three years ago, managing director Yasmin has received guidance from her father, who has experience in running successful companies including Gibson Motorsport and MPI Offshore.

Paul Gibson said: “I’m very excited to see these products go to market, I take great pleasure in sampling them to make sure they’re on the mark!

“It’s been incredible to watch Yasmin grow into a professional businesswoman who has really pushed Dragon Slayer forwards, and I have no doubt that she’ll make sure it’s a leading brand in the future.”