TUCKED away in an impossibly secretive spot near Mabe, rum is being produced.

Fal River Distillery is the creation of Elle Demaus, a former Falmouth University student who's love of chemistry paved the way for her new venture.

"I started distilling a few years ago when I was looking for a job as a sailor on the rum ships in the Caribbean.

"I thought that to be taken a bit more seriously I ought to learn more about rum and that's when I started experimenting. In the end I became so involved in making it that I never applied for a job on the ship and decided to start my own business."

The 27 year-old, who lives with her cat Tuppence on a boat in Penryn, rented a workshop at Trevone Quarry and converted it into a distillery.

She had the distiller imported from Porto, in Portugal, while the barrels, which originally stored whisky from Tennessee, were bought from Haverfordwest in west Wales.

Falmouth Packet:

The distiller

Elle has spent the summer sailing to festivals around the county to sell her rum, including a poignant trip to Porthleven Food Festival in April.

"That was my launch festival but it was quite emotional because it was the first time that Gleaner, the boat we were sailing, had returned to Porthleven after being built there 141 years ago."

She has also been to festivals at Looe, Charlestown, Falmouth and Port Eliot.

It took her a year and a half to gain a distiller's licence from HMRC, but she has since produced and sold her first batch of Petrel, so-called because of her love of the seabirds.

The second batch is underway, housed in her small operation which is part of a creative enclave near the former granite quarry. Her distillery is next to a blacksmith's and there are several other occupied out-buildings along the bumpy track near Treverva.

Falmouth Packet:

Fal River Distillery

Elle's rum has three key ingredients - oak, maple and rosemary - which gives it a sweet finish.

She said: "I'm aiming to produce a rum which has a smooth richness, a bit like whisky. I have tried lots of different flavours but I've loved this combination ever since I tried a caramel and rosemary ice-cream from Potager."

"Next year I'm hoping to sail to the Caribbean to bring back my own molasses."

As yet Petrel is only available in a handful of outlets, including Constantine Stores and the Cutty Sark pub in Falmouth.

Her love of the high seas and rum will take her to France next summer, when she plans to visit the litany of sailing festivals in Brittany.

"Everyone says to me what a dreamy life I must have, but it is also quite hard work. I'm happy to make enough money to maintain my inexpensive lifestyle - I'm not doing it to get rich."

For more information visit www.falriverdistillery.com