Renais Gin, the brainchild of “Harry Potter” star Emma Watson and her brother, Alex, is finally expanding to the American market a little over a year after it launched in the U.K., Italy, Germany and Australia.
On Thursday, the brand announced that it will be made available online in 40 states and at select retailers in California starting in July. Accompanying the launch, the brand has unveiled a limited-edition sleeve decked out with botanical-inspired illustrations designed by Emma herself. Customers in the U.S. can expect to find a standard bottle of Renais Gin at $65 and the Summer Artwork edition at $80.
Renais Summer Artwork Edition (Photo: Renais Gin)
“The US has been my second home since I first went to Brown in Rhode Island, so I am thrilled to be bringing Renais abroad and home again! Making this with friends and family has been one of the most rewarding, creative experiences I’ve ever had so, thank you,” Emma Watson wrote in an Instagram post announcing the expansion.
Renais Gin acts as a marriage of two distinct regions. Its recipe combines a classically British spirit with influences and ingredients from the Chablis region of France, where the Watson family has been producing wine for over three decades. Taking a nod from the Domaine Watson estate, the gin is distilled with a laundry list of botanicals including grand cru grapes, juniper berries, Kimmeridgian stone, angelica root, linden flowers, acacia honey, cubeb berries and rock salt.
While Emma is best known for her roles in “Harry Potter” and “Little Women,” her brother Alex is more accustomed to the alcohol industry. Prior to Renais, he spent three years working for Diageo, the British spirits firm known for imprints including Casamigos, Guinness and Captain Morgan.
“Embracing decades of experience in the beverage industry, we’ve worked hard to turn Renais into a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of Burgundy,” Alex Watson said in a news release. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce a distinctive and innovative gin to the US market, one that welcomes everyone into our family, and launching within California’s long-standing heritage in wine-making feels perfect.”
