Rosehips are the red-orange fruits that follow wild rose flowers in late summer and autumn. The dog rose, Rosa canina, is common across British hedgerows, scrub and chalk grassland.
Their flavour combines cranberry, red apple, citrus peel and gentle floral notes. The skins bring fresh acidity and light tannin, while fully ripe hips develop greater fruit sweetness.
At Downton Distillery, rosehips feature in our Great Bustard Flight Strength Gin and Lady Martha’s Gin. Members of the Great Bustard Group gather them from Salisbury Plain, creating a direct connection between our spirits, the landscape and the people protecting one of Britain’s rarest birds.
Fruit
Rosehips ripen from green through orange to a glossy scarlet red. Inside the fleshy outer layer sit numerous seeds covered with fine, irritating hairs. These require careful removal or thorough filtration during preparation.
The fruit brings restrained sweetness, bright acidity and a dry finish. Traditionally, foragers picked rosehips after the first frost, which softens the fruit. Freezing freshly gathered hips creates a similar effect and allows them to be collected before birds eat the crop.
Flowers
The dog rose flowers from late spring into summer. Its delicate five-petalled flowers range from white to pale pink, with prominent golden stamens.
The fragrance is subtle, with notes of rose, honey, citrus and fresh leaves. Bees, hoverflies and beetles visit the flowers before the petals fall and the rosehips begin to form.
Traditional use
Rosehips have a long history in British syrups, preserves, teas and country wines. During the Second World War, volunteers collected them across Britain to produce vitamin-rich syrup when imported citrus fruit was scarce.
Fresh rosehips contain vitamin C, although heat, oxygen and storage reduce it. Their nutritional value and autumn availability helped establish their reputation as a traditional winter ingredient.
Wildlife
Wild roses provide food and shelter throughout the year. Their flowers support pollinating insects, while their thorny branches offer protected nesting places for small birds.
During autumn and winter, the hips feed blackbirds, thrushes, fieldfares, redwings and small mammals. These animals also spread the seeds through the surrounding landscape.
We forage selectively and leave plenty of fruit for wildlife and natural regeneration.
The Great Bustard Group
Members of the Great Bustard Group pick the rosehips we use from the landscape surrounding their conservation work on Salisbury Plain. Their knowledge of the area helps ensure the fruit is gathered without impacting the wildlife that might need them during the winter months.
Distilling
Rosehips bring tart red-fruit notes, gentle floral depth and light tannic structure. They brighten citrus, complement juniper and add length without making a gin taste too sweet.
Great Bustard Flight Strength Gin
Rosehips help our Great Bustard Flight Strength Gin retain clarity and structure at 57% ABV.
They connect the juniper, citrus, herbs and spice while contributing a long, dry finish. Dilution opens brighter notes of cranberry, apple skin and citrus peel, making the botanical particularly effective in a Martini.
Lady Martha’s Gin
In Lady Martha’s Gin, rosehips support its crisp, refined character. Their acidity lifts the citrus, while their subtle floral quality connects the brighter botanicals with the warmer spices.
They add complexity and structure without sweetness, helping to create the clean, dry finish required of a Martini-led gin.
Garden
Wild roses thrive in hedgerows, scrub and sunny woodland edges around the distillery garden. They tolerate exposed conditions and poor soils, making them well suited to the Wiltshire Downs.
