OUR STORY
Deliciously different rums by Two Lasses capture taste of Yorkshire and spirit of partnership
Two Lasses Rum is our innovative, exciting new spirit family made from scratch in the UK.
Stylish, quirky, bold, vibrant, strong and brave, our brand is there to empower EVERYONE to be who they are and follow their dreams – just as our founders Rebecca Allinson and Lindsey Harrison have done in creating the brand.
Passionate about their home county of Yorkshire, but not defined by or restricted to it, these two strong, empowered and independent women are out to shatter the cliches of rum, pirates, sailors and – and all those tired old tropes – they’re doing just that with their stunningly smooth rum and deliciously twisted liqueurs.
While far too many brands import rum and blend or bottle it here, Two Lasses is made from scratch in the UK – it’s authentic, proud and made of Northern spirit. Just like its founders.
Our lasses first found their mutual love of all things rum on holiday, just like countless other sun-loving tourists before them. The difference is, they weren’t content to simply look back on those memories – no, they bottled them, capturing the essence of the Caribbean with a uniquely Northern twist.
Lindsey said: “Holidays to the Caribbean initially sparked our interest. The history of rum is fascinating with lots of characters and stories, it existed way before its first 17th century distillation and unlike other alcoholic drinks its intention was purely to give pleasure to the drinker. We wanted to write our own story.
“We’d always thought of rum as a spirit to be mixed in cocktails or to have with Coke but we now know it’s so much more than that. We felt that some of the spiced rums were too heavy on the spice for our taste. We also found some of the flavoured rums were a little artificial tasting. So we set about creating what we think is a softer more natural product.
“We are an ambitious pair and over the years have casually chatted about creating something for ourselves. We are big foodies and into most things food and drink. We’ve talked about starting our own vineyard, opening a small charcuterie, creating our own gin but the idea that reappeared in most conversations was the creation of our own rum!”
Rebecca and Lindsey set out to create something new and exciting and that’s just what they have achieved – in fact several somethings, from the original Yorkshire Spiced Rum, to the liqueur version and what is set to become the ultimate festive tipple but is already flying off the virtual shelves – their Chocolate and Orange Rum and the matching liqueur.
All of the drinks are crafted from beginning to end in the UK under the watchful eyes of the Two Lasses, with the flavours of their childhoods and their lives together taking centre stage to create drinks that are uniquely their own but made for sharing.
Rebecca explained: There are not that many truly British rums although that will change”
"It’s made with our personality running through it. A smattering of Northern spirit, a feminine soft spice, a gentle sweetness and a gutsy 42% (alc vol)."
“Our Rum is made from Molasses which are imported but the fermentation starts in England. It is not a Caribbean rum that is reblended and distilled here. It is triple distilled which makes it smooth and warming rather than sharp and burning.
“We wanted to be different. New rums are coming to market regularly, but these tend to be Caribbean rums that are modified in the UK. Creating a rum from scratch means we have complete control over the entire process and can ensure that we produce a quality authentic liquid. We can also control the provenance of the ingredients.”
And they are indeed different – just as the pair’s lives have blended to create these wonderful products, the rums blend their Yorkshire roots and the flavours they found in the Caribbean in a refreshingly different way.
Rebecca said: “Two of our favourite things are ginger cake and RUM! So we decided to try and merge the two. We also wanted to give a nod to our Yorkshire roots, taking the flavours of Yorkshire Parkin and adding them to our rum. Yorkshire Parkin for us conjures up autumnal nights in front of bonfires with our families. Yorkshire Parkin is gingery, oaty and a little sticky. Our Yorkshire Spiced Rum is like a big hug in a glass.”
Lindsey explained: “Our Chocolate and Orange Rum started much the same way as we were sat in our lounge eating chocolate whilst watching TV. The individual flavours could be easily identifiable orange, nut and dark chocolate so we set about trying to create a rum that allows the drinker the same experience. We haven’t created a sweet drink, this is very much a sipping rum to be enjoyed over ice. On the first sip you taste citrus and nuts, the dark chocolate offers a surprising end.”
Two Lasses Rum is more than just a drink though, it’s the realisation of a dream, the result of a partnership, the distillation of two lives coming together and creating something magical. It’s memories of those moments on Caribbean beaches with chilled glasses in hand, sunshine blazing through them, captured and bottled to share with the world. And it’s all made with love, passion and pride.
Rebecca said: “We are absolutely pouring our heart and soul into this. Wanting to do this has been a passion for many years. We currently live and breathe rum and we’re having a ball. We WILL succeed.
“It’s important to be honest about who you are and what you want. It takes courage to own who you are, and you have to believe in what you are doing and more importantly why. A lack of belief, courage and hard work are the only obstacles that we as women need to overcome.
“Hopefully the Two Lasses and our brand can show women that no matter what their background, gender, sexuality, or age is, they can achieve their dreams. “
Lindsey added: “Female empowerment to us is about encouragement. We are in our mid to late 40s, we have never run a business, never mind created a product and a brand. It’s been all about learning from the recipe creation, fermentation and distillation process, brand design, promotion, sales, social media and marketing. It’s been a huge learning curve.
“We wanted to work for our dream and not somebody else’s. Seeing others like what we have created is paramount. Although this has not been easy it has been fun and we hope through our story we can encourage other women to fulfil their dreams, whatever they may be. “
The Two Lasses who love molasses are out to bring our astonishingly tasty drinks to the world. And having spent lots of time with these determined modern women, we can assure you that’s exactly what they’re going to do.
From sponsoring a women’s rugby tour to taking on the big boys of the rum world, nothing fazes the Two Lasses.. and nothing rivals the taste of the drinks their holidays have brought us.