Olympian cyclist Tiffany Cromwell and Formula 1 star Valtteri Bottas share the love story behind OATH gin following Australian launch

From discovering a mutual love of gin in a Monaco pub to making their own, the couple share the story behind their latest joint venture.

Adelaide-born Olympic cyclist Tiffany Cromwell and Finnish Formula One star Valtteri Bottas are a true sporting power couple and have now revealed how it all began.

Their love story began five years ago after first crossing paths at a Monaco pub before bonding over a shared love of gin and adventure.

“I was going by to see some friends and Valtteri was out that same night and we just got a small introduction and that was that, we went our separate ways but then crossed paths a few more times,” Cromwell said.

“When we first got together and started to go on dates, gin and tonic was the common thing we ordered as a starting drink.

OATH Gin launch at Norwood. Valtteri Bottas and Tiffany Cromwell. Picture: Dylan Sanders

“We had a connection straight away. We shared a love of adventure, food, wine, exploring and drinks and obviously with our sports, we’re also pushing to be the best in what we can do.

“Naturally when you have that it’s easy to grow together.”

Now five years on, the pair, who are in town for the Tour Down Under, have officially launched their gin brand, OATH Gin, in Adelaide.

“We’re just happy to have it here and share it with Australia and have Adelaide as the first place because, you know, its my home,” Cromwell said.

Throughout their relationship, the pair have collected local gin from the places they’ve visited on their travels which eventually inspired them to start their own brand.

Tiffany Cromwell and Valtteri Bottas at the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide in 2022. Picture: Matt Loxton

“We’re fortunate through both our careers that we get to travel around the world,” she said.

“So when we’re at our races, we like to explore where we are and if we have the time, we’ll go to local distilleries or go find the local gin.

“Whether it’s I bring it to Valtteri or vice versa or we’re travelling together, we like to bring a bottle home (...) I think we have more than 100 gins at home.”

They first launched in Finland, where its distilled, in 2022 with the formula inspired by the oats grown in Bottas’ family fields and the apples grown near Cromwell’s hometown, Stirling.

The couple have always intended to bring the brand Down Under but are taking “each market step by step” with its name partly inspired by the popular Aussie saying.

“We wanted a very powerful name, something that people, you know, can relate to,” Cromwell said.

From getting a mullet to partnering with beer company VB to rocking the iconic budgie smugglers, Bottas has made no secret of his love for Australia.

“It’s always great visiting, obviously for me it’s home, it’s where my family is,” Cromwell said.

“We definitely make the most of it and it’s also fun travelling around the state.”

Now gearing up for the return of their three-day bike race, RADL GRVL, starting on Wednesday, they’ll return overseas back to their respective race tracks in two weeks time but still have “plenty of projects in the works.”

Originally published as Olympian cyclist Tiffany Cromwell and Formula 1 star Valtteri Bottas share the love story behind OATH gin following Australian launch