COCKTAILS | DOWNTON DISTILLERY

The Aperol Sour brings Aperol’s blend of sweet and bitter orange into a clean, bright serve. Its sunset-orange colour sits under a thick, meringue-like foam. The flavour lands crisp, lightly...

The Virginia Creeper is a new sour from Ben Morley, created during a visit to the distillery. If you enjoy a Bramble, this sits in the same family. It takes...

This serve celebrates the garden’s fennel and wild rocket. Inspired by the Rocket Gimlet, it adds fennel to bring balance and a clean anise note. Rocket gives warmth and pepper,...

This drink was created at Dante, the 104-year-old Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village. It draws on two Italian staples: the Negroni and the Angelo Azzurro. The recipe uses three white...

Summer brings the best of English fruit and local farms are full of ripe strawberries and raspberries. Pick your own or grab a punnet from the farm shop. This cocktail...

A Raspberry Gimlet delivers sharp citrus lifted by bright, fresh berry flavour. The fruit softens the edges and gives a clean, vivid profile that suits warm evenings. It is quick...

A Gin Hot Toddy delivers warmth, citrus and spice in a clean, comforting serve. It suits cold evenings and highlights the botanicals in Explorer’s Gin. Easy to make, fast to...

The Mimosa has a split heritage. Buck’s Club in London created the Buck’s Fizz in 1921, leaning heavily on Champagne. Paris followed in 1925 when Frank Meier at the Ritz...

A refined twist on the classic Negroni. Gin, Campari and Vermouth di Torino are lifted with bitters and chocolate liqueur, creating a subtle, confectionery-led cocktail with depth and balance.

An autumnal gin sour built on dry cider and Explorer’s Gin. Maple syrup adds warmth without sweetness, while cinnamon brings depth and balance to this crisp seasonal cocktail.

The Vesper Martini is a classic cocktail created by Ian Fleming in his 1953 novel Casino Royale. Made famous by James Bond, it combines gin and vodka with Lillet, an...

This Martini places puts great gin front and centre. Originating in the 1930s, it replaces dry vermouth with Dubonnet, a sweet, herb infused French aperitif created in 1846. Favoured by...

A Spritz is made for long, social days in the sun. Light, crisp, and gently sweet, it delivers refreshment without heaviness. Ideal for summer gatherings, garden parties, or when you...

The Samphire Martini is a fresh, savoury twist on the classic dirty martini. We replace olive brine with seasonal UK samphire, infused into Explorer’s Gin for a clean coastal salinity...

Inspired by our love of the Campari Sour, this cocktail swaps in Aperol for a lighter summer edge. Created in 2010 by Jamie Boudreau in Seattle, it suits Negroni drinkers...

The Left Bank Martini is a refined, aromatic take on the classic. Gin meets a softer, wine led aperitif for balance and elegance, delivering a smooth, composed martini with Parisian...

The White Lady is a classic gin cocktail. Created in the early twentieth century, it pairs gin with fresh lemon juice and orange liqueur to deliver precision rather than excess. The...

The Bitter French 75 blends the structure of a Negroni with the lift of a French 75. Created by Philip Ward in New York, it puts Campari centre stage, softened...

The Hanky Panky is a gin martini with real character. Created in the 1920s by Ada Coleman at The Savoy, it balances sweetness, bitterness, and deep herbal complexity. Fernet Branca...

As the clocks go back and Halloween creeps in, it is time for something seasonal with bite. The Pumpkin Gin Sour delivers autumn warmth with a playful edge. Built with...

The Bramble captures the shift from summer to autumn. Ripe blackberries bring back memories of hedgerow picking and warm kitchen bakes. Created in the 1980s by Dick Bradsell, it celebrates...

The Passion Fruit Collins is our twist on a classic formula of spirit, lemon, sugar, and soda. Bright passion fruit lifts the drink, adding freshness and gentle sweetness to the...

The Strawberry Smash captures summer in a glass. Ripe strawberries and fresh basil bring garden freshness and soft sweetness. Made with well sourced fruit, it delivers bright flavour and easy...

The Sgroppino is a light, palate cleansing cocktail with Italian roots. Made with Downton Distillery gin, lemon sorbet, and prosecco, it delivers bright citrus, gentle sweetness, and a clean, refreshing...