Brandy maker drinks to Damien Hirst label

Mr Hirst, 46, has designed the box and bottle label for a limited edition run of 20-year-old Somerset Cider Brandy, thanks to the fashion designer Alice Temperley, a friend of the artist and daughter of distillery owner Julian Temperley.

Despite once being the enfant terrible of modern British art, best known for work featuring preserved and dissected animals, his latest work is a modernist “spin art” splash of colours that will be less challenging for art lovers and drinkers alike.

Mr Temperley said “serious foodie” Hirst had made a deal with his daughter 10 years ago, when she was a fashion student, that he would design a label for the brandy.

After the spirit won Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status from the European Union last month, she called in the favour from the multimillionaire artist, who lives mainly in Devon with his partner and three sons, to design a label for the drink which celebrates the award.

“This is a huge gift from him,” Mr Temperley said yesterday.

“He is a very good fellow. He did say to Alice 10 years ago that he would do a label.

“She reminded him at a fashion show after we won (PGI) and said that he had better do it.

“It is brilliant, it actually works as a celebration of victory.”