From Bar Mat Scribbles to Shaking Up the Rum Scene
What happens when a bartender builds a distillery? Well, ask our Founder and industry legend Lewis Hayes!
In swoops DropWorks: the bold, British-distilled rum brand that has been created for bars and made for mixing.
This month marks two years since DropWorks officially opened the doors to its Sherwood Forest distillery. In that short time, we’ve grown from an ambitious idea sketched on the back of a bar mat to one of the UK’s most awarded and exciting new spirits brands. From custom-built copper stills to an award-winning Distillery Tour Experience, every Drop has been about creating something with personality and most of all, purpose.
Created for Bars. Crafted in Britain.
From the very beginning, our mission has been clear: create a rum for bartenders.
Not one that gathers dust on the top shelf – we want everyone to be able to enjoy the good stuff!
In just 24 months, our bottles have landed in over a third of the UK’s top cocktail bars. That’s not by chance—it’s the result of passion, serious craft, and a clear idea of what the British rum scene truly could be, if someone just shook it up a bit 😉
The Next Chapter: Growth, Grit and Great Rum
So, as you can imagine.. we really are just getting started.
The recent appointment of Graham Appleyard as CEO, and an ambitious plan to triple the size of the business in 2025, we’re stepping into the next stage of our journey – expect to see DropWorks stocked in hundreds more premium venues across the country, being enjoyed by many, many more people nationwide.
Our plan is simple: keep doing what we do best. Make exceptional British rum. Make it accessible. And make it a staple of great cocktails everywhere.
Awards? We’ve Got a Few.
We don’t like to brag (or maybe we do?!) but we’ve been gradually picking up quite a few awards in our first two years of existence. From IWSC and the World Rum Awards, to the Bartenders Brand Awards and People’s Choice Spirits Awards, the recognition has been humbling!
Most recently, our Distillery Tours & Tastings were crowned Experience of the Year at the 2025 Nottinghamshire Tourism Awards. If you’ve visited us, you’ll know why. We don’t just show you around; we bring you inside the DropWorks story, pour you a drink, and show you where the magic really happens. It’s an experience like no other
Made for Mixing. Made to Discover.
At DropWorks, we believe cocktails are about discovery—of new spirits, flavours and moments. That’s why every Drop we make is designed for mixing: to unlock creativity behind the bar and bring joy in the glass.
Clear Drop, Spice Drop, Dark Drop, Funk Drop, and Barrel Drop are just the beginning – imagine where we will go!
We’ve blurred the lines between top-shelf complexity and cocktail-friendly character, and we’re proud to be flying the flag for British-made rum that doesn’t stick to the rulebook.
Thank You for Being Part of the Journey
If you’ve poured us, tasted us, stocked us or simply cheered us on—thank you. DropWorks was born in a bar, built in a forest, and brought to life by the people who believe in good spirits made well.
Here’s to the next two years of fearless flavour, rum discovery, and the Drops still to come.
Cheers,
The DropWorks Team