INSPIRATION
Explorer’s Gin is inspired by Sir Walter Raleigh, who lived in Downton, as his star rose in court. On 25th March, 1584 he was given a Royal Warrant to explore & settle the New World. The land he called Virginia, in order to flatter Queen Elizabeth I. He established the Roanoke Colony, which became infamous as it disappeared in 1589. He is famed for bringing back both the potato, cedar & tobacco from America.
WORKMANSHIP
Our spirits are crafted, distilled & bottled in very small batches at our Nano-distillery which sits on the 'Downs' above Downton in Wiltshire. We are authentic, attentive, proud & care deeply about the quality of our work. Each batch will macerate for up to 48hrs allowing our flavours to blend prior to distillation. We use the one shot method, all bottles are signed & numbered by hand with 100 bottles per run.

BOTTLE FOR LIFE
Costs have increased for all of us, across the board and we are keen to help where possible. Our bottles are to beautiful to throw away, so we created our bottle for life programme. When you finish your bottle, purchase one of our refill packs which we ship to you free of charge. Then send all the packaging back to us using our 'Free post' service. This is then either reused or recycled. This saves you a huge 37%!
EMBRACING ADVENTURE
‘Life is about the journey, not the destination’
Ralph Waldo Emerson
This is something that we embrace as did our forebearers. Life is an adventure, where you are continually learning and moving forward. We took a leap of faith into the unknown, a world filled with colour, flavour, and beauty. There were no boundaries and through journeying the currents we have discovered new shores. Our adventure has seen obstacles overcome, dead ends navigated, and new doors opened. Our lives have been enriched by a wonderful vibrant community who have welcomed us with open arms. Downton Distillery has been able to become more than the concept it once was, drawn up on a piece of paper. As with all ventures, trust your gut instinct when a situation may not seem right, walk away when needed, it is all part of the journey. Learn, laugh, grow and work to live, for your adventure has only just begun.





GIN FOUNDRY
“It’s rare when we see a start-up with massive potential right off the bat. Downton Distillery and their Explorer’s Gin however, has just that and more. They are proving that what’s needed in today’s saturated category is about so much more than being a local gin, a craft distiller, a small batch production or even – having great gin.

GIN GUIDE
"Explorer's Gin harmoniously brings together classic gin characteristics with a contemporary twist. It's a gin with complexity & depth and it is engaging through having clearly identifiable characteristics & stages along the flavour journey."

2023 SUSTAINABILITY WINNER
The winning producers are those which have most successfully shown ongoing commitment to achieving their environmental sustainability objectives across multiple initiatives, with innovative solutions, proven impact and an embedded and measured culture of sustainability. It is at the heart of what they do.

REFILL SERVICE - SAVE 37%
Did you know each bottle weighs 2.1Kgs of CO2.
We are continually improving our carbon footprint through both our environmental and sustainability initiatives. We feel our bottle is too beautiful to throw away and keen that you reuse and refill it.
Every reused bottle not only helps to save the planet but also saves you money.
You can refill refill your bottle at Downton Brewery, Regent Tailoring and Healthy Life.

CLICK & COLLECT
You can now collect your online bottle order from Regent Tailoring. An institution to British heritage, it has both classic and contemporary fashion styles. Whilst collecting your bottle feel free to have a look around this beautiful shop. Please show your confirmation e-mail with order number when collecting your bottle.
IN THE MEDIA

SUNDAY BRUNCH - SMALL BATCH GIN
Olivier Ward talks about Small Batch Distilleries & Explorer's Gin.

DESIGNING ASIAN PARSNIP GIN
We designed Asian Parsnip, then created multi award winning Navy Strength Gin with James May.

COCKTAIL EVENINGS
Contact us, if you would like to host a cocktail evening with us.
OUR FEATURES
Past features, adventuring series and stories that we have run in our newsletters and blogs.
DISPATCHES

The Great Bustard
During the 19th Century, the Great Bustard was hunted to extinction. For over 20 years, the Great Bustard Group has proved that this magnificent bird can thrive in Britain, once again. It has succe... more

Chalke Valley History Festival
Every year a wonderful festival happens in the village of Broad Chalke just over the hill from the distillery. From humble origins in 2011 it has grown, now covering a 70-acre farm. This annual eve... more

The Peregrines of Salisbury Cathedral
Peregrine falcons returned to Salisbury Cathedral in 2014, having been absent for over 60 years. Since then 27 chicks have fledged in the South tower of the Cathedral. The chicks are tagged, with l... more
OUR DISTILLERY & ADVENTURERS


























