Nisa retailer turns local trees into unique gin creation

Nisa retailer Kaual Patel has created a premium, limited edition gin using bay and olive trees planted outside his Lewisham store.

The south London Nisa retailer has crafted a truly unique product, transforming trees outside his convenience store into a premium gin.

Kaual Patel, owner of the Nisa Local in Lewisham, has partnered with tswolds-based distillery Gin In A Tin, to create a limited gin inspired by the bay and olive trees he planted outside his store.

The idea originated a year ago when Kaual installed a six-square-metre community mosaic, designed by local schoolchildren. Initially planning to plant trees directly into the ground, Kaual faced restrictions due to underground cables. Undeterred, he financed the placement of three bay trees and two olive trees in planters, complementing the mosaic and enhancing the area’s aesthetics. The evergreen trees sparked a “eureka moment” for Kaual, leading to the creation of the bespoke gin.

“I’ve seen olive used in gins before, but never bay,” Kaual explained. “After some research, I found a single bay gin and thought, why not combine both? The key was creating something significant to our store and community.”

Working with Gin In A Tin, Kaual developed three batches of gin, experimenting with varying proportions of olive and bay. Inviting customers to sample the creations, the winning recipe was a perfect blend of 150 parts olive and 50 parts bay, with a touch of lemon citrus. The result, Kaual says, is a gin that “tastes phenomenal.”

Retailing at £39.99 for a 50cl tin, the run of 200 units has already proven popular, with a quarter of the stock sold over Christmas.

Looking ahead, Kaual hopes to build on this success with potential future collaborations. “If it sells out, I’ll consider a summer edition with a more citrus-forward recipe. The possibilities are endless,” he said.