Downton Dispatches — Downton Distillery

At the start of the month we celebrated our 1st anniversary by opening the doors to our Chalet at the Salisbury Christmas market, where it all started last year. It has been wonderful catching up with old and new faces and even better converting non gin drinkers, for those yet to come to the market we look forward to meeting you. We have plenty of goodies on the stand for the non gin drinkers as well. 

The Gin Foundry started the original gin Advent calendar.

It began one cold, dark winter night when they realised that no one made a gin-filled Advent calendar. To resolve the deplorable absence of our precious juniper spirit during the season of festivities, they designed, crafted and installed a 2 x 2 metre calendar in a central London bar and each day opened a new door. They celebrated the gin inside by serving up G&Ts and cocktails, as well as hosting tastings and generally sharing the gin love.

The calendar was an instant hit and they were flooded with requests to miniaturise it in order to spread the festive cheer by making it available for all to enjoy in their homes. Not everyone can get to London, apparently, and this was an idea that needed to be democratised. The rest, as they say, is history and seven years on the Ginvent Calendars have gone global…

So what’s inside?

Each year, Gin Foundry select 24 Gins that provide a snapshot of the category’s depth, diversity and global reach. They are each bottled in 24 individual hand waxed drams, containing 30ml each. They scour countries in search of the very best, the most unusual, the most progressive and – of utmost importance – the most sublimely delicious gins.

They also make an effort to showcase all types of producers, celebrating the artisanal, craft makers while providing a unique chance to compare them in context to some of the familiar, more established names. It’s a chance to really discover the very best the category has to offer and will challenge your preconceptions as it titillates your taste buds.

The Royal County of Berkshire Show holds a very dear place to my heart. It’s a county show that has both a rich and vibrant history dating back to 1909 originating at Enborne Gate Farm near Wash Common, Newbury.

At the age of seven I was taken to the show by my grandparents for the first time, I will never forget the experience walking around wide eyed dwarfed by cattle and horses whilst eating an ice cream and watching the events unfold in the main ring. It was a day of exploring, learning and celebration seeing the best of the country. We attended every year; it was an enjoyable day with family and friends marking the end of Summer and heralding the arrival of Autumn.

This year rather than being a spectator and enjoying the sights and sounds, I was exhibiting and trading at the show. What a weekend it was, it was over before I knew it.

Thank you to everyone who came onto the stand to meet both Meike, Charlie and myself. To those who were brave enough to discover the delights of the Szechuan pepper and our chilli shots; chapeau. We loved meeting you and listening to your stories and experiences.

We left the show with new friends, acquaintances and reforged old friendships. In our back pocket were several rosettes and a silver cup. These were for the gin and our stand in the food hall; these both surprised and humbled us. If you ever see any of the pictures where we are being awarded the Sponsors Cup and a look of shock on our faces - you now know why.

The show continues to inspire new generations and I can’t wait for next year. 

A recent article estimated that nearly 500 million disposable plastic straws are tossed into landfills every year, but DEFRA did a review in 2018 ‘straw wars’ and estimate the number is closer to 42 billion straws are being used a year in the UK - that's 640 per person with each straw taking 200 years to break down.

From April 2020, plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds will be banned throughout England in an attempt to curb and reduce the amount of plastic pollution that is having an effect on our environment, running our streams, rivers, seas and oceans.  

At Downton Distillery we are keen to promote alternatives and help eliminate single-use plastic straws. To the consumer there are now many reusable drinking straw options in the market varying in price with the alternatives being metal, silicone and bamboo.

Our focus is on the bamboo straw, which grows in abundance. There are over 100 types of bamboo, those that grow quickly and others that require 3-5 years to reach maturity. Bamboo is grown chemical-free, not requiring the need for chemical fertilizers or pesticides it is fully sustainable, recyclable and compostable too.

No other straw can boast this quality in the same way.

Here are some facts about our drinking straws.

How long will bamboo straws last?

The straws are reusable and can last for several years pending on how you use them.

They can be used for both hot and cold drinks.

Are bamboo straws hygienic and how do I sterilise bamboo straws?

Bamboo fibres have natural antimicrobial properties meaning they are less likely to harbour bacteria over time and be more resistant to spoiling or rotting over time.

Boiling bamboo straws from time to time in a little salt and white vinegar helps preserve them and will remove any built-up residue, they can also be placed in the dishwasher too.

In order to ensure the longevity of your bamboo straws, after hand washing, make sure to let them fully dry by laying them flat (not vertical) to prevent any water build-up at the bottom of the straw and always store them in a well-ventilated area. Avoid airtight containers or jars as this will cause potential moisture build-up inside the straws.

How long does it take for bamboo straws to biodegrade?

When your straw show natural signs of wear and tear such as splitting or fraying at the ends, it’s time to dispose of them. Rather than throwing them in the garbage, you can simply compost them in the garden. Cut them up and spread across the garden, they will break down within 4-6 months.

Will they alter the taste of my Gin and Tonic or cocktail?

While some people are more sensitive to tastes and flavours, bamboo straws are neutral. There is no additional taste and the bamboo straw will not affect or alter the flavour of your drink.

Explorer Straws are available at our events.

Explorer’s has been awarded MASTER status at the Gin Masters Competition; this is one of the most prestigious competitions held within the industry. Explorer’s Gin was one of only two gins to be recognised as a Master in the ‘Contemporary Gin’ category.

The panel found this particular expression to be “versatile” and recommended that it should be used in a Martini, gin and tonic, or even as a sipping gin.

The Gin Masters is an annual competition organised by leading UK drinks publication The Spirits Business. Entries are blind tasted by a panel of expert retailers, bartenders and drinks writers.

To gauge how far gin has come in recent years, one need only look at how The Gin Masters competition has grown. In 2015, fewer than 100 gins were entered into the competition. In this year’s blind tasting, that number has more than trebled to exceed 300 entries, marking the biggest Global Spirits Masters competition in history.

The grapefruit is a hybrid of sweet orange and pomelo, which is another gin botanical used by distillers. The grapefruit brings a light, zesty sweetness to the flavour profile.

Facts about Grapefruit:

Scientific Name: Citrus × Paradisi

Common Name: Grapefruit

Origin: Barbados

Height of Plant: The grapefruit 5–6 meters tall though can grow to 13m and live for up to 50m

History:

It was created in Barbados when the sweet orange and pomelo were accidentally bred together. Both ancestors of the grapefruit were introduced from Asia in the seventeenth century. The fruit was first documented in 1750 by a Welshman, Rev. Griffith Hughes, who described specimens from Barbados in The Natural History of Barbados.

When found, it was named the “forbidden fruit”; and frequently, it has been misidentified with the pomelo. It wasn’t until the 1800s that a Jamaican farmer coined the term “grapefruit.”

The name grapefruit first appeared in English in a work by botanist John Lunan, Hortus Jamaicanensis (1814). While the name apparently arose because the fruit grows in grape-like clusters and can imaginatively be looked at as grapes when small and green, Lunan had stated that it was “known by the name of grape-fruit, on account of its resemblance in flavour to the grape.”

Botanically, the grapefruit was not distinguished from the pomelo until the 1830s, when it was given the name Citrus paradisi. Its true origins were not determined until the 1940s. This led to the official name being altered to Citrus × paradisi.

What it adds to Explorer’s Gin:

The flesh is segmented and acidic, varying in colour depending on the cultivars, which include white, pink, and red pulps and flavours range from highly acidic and somewhat sour, to sweet and tart.

Explorer’s Gin

Grapefruit was always going to be part of the botanical bill, bringing those bright, fresh and tart essential oils that enliven the spirit. We use both cut peel and fresh grapefruits in our process. The grapefruit are peeled and cut up and added to the onion head, where the ethanol vapours then infuse with these wonderful oils.

It's been a busy six months at Downton Distillery, and we have had the great pleasure in hosting events around the country and internationally! Our events have taken us to Bonhams, Letters Live, Rome, Naples, Milan and IWC Watches and many more! We can create bars and also bring in several of the top barman within London to make your event go with bang using the finest ingredients alongside ‘Explorer’s Gin’ creating drinks especially for you.

We have also partnered with Saddlers Luxury Mobile Bar who were voted one of the top mobile bars in 2018. They can offer a diverse range of drinks, using small batch and local producers allowing them to cater for the most discerning of tastes.

Both Downton and Saddlers have a love for the great outdoors and a passion for exceptional services, ensuring that your event becomes the ultimate affair. If you would like us to host an event for a special occasion, please contact us below using the gold ‘Contact Us’ tab.

This week we are taking a look at a part of the show that truly defines the whole thing for us – our Bursary spot. Each year, we love to take a distillery we think are doing something cool, different, unusual and interesting and give them a helping hand to be discovered by others who will, we’re certain, also be as enthused as we are.

The idea is simple, to champion a young outfit who would otherwise not be able to take place in the show, help them find their feet and in the process, your glass! We look at dozens of worthy, brilliant gin makers each year and base our decision on many criteria.

We look towards their potential as well as their current output, towards the people as much as the products they make, to what they stand for and to what they represent in the wider category.

So without further ado, we’re pleased to announce that Downton Distillery are this year’s Junipalooza Bursary holders.

Time to meet Hugh, Meike and Charles, along with their delicious Explorer’s Gin.

We have had a firm eye fixed on Downton Distillery for a while now. They may only be a few thousand bottles into their story having launched in December, but we’ve been tracking their journey, the toil and hard work it takes to set up for over a year. It’s been one momentous journey and one where hard graft, patient steps and a keen sense of when to go with the flow and when to hold steadfast and not compromise.

Nestled in the heart of England, on the banks of the River Avon stands a small village. The Downton Manor is a Grade I listed building that is said to be one of the longest inhabited houses in the South of England.

The Manor House became a valued centre of England in 1380, when it belonged to the Bishop of Winchester, William of Wykeham. It remained the residence of his successors until its lease for grace and favour to Queen Elizabeth I in 1560. She would later gift the Manor House to her favourite rising star of the Royal Court, Sir Walter Raleigh. ​

Downton Distillery can be found in a Grade 1 listed barn, adjacent to Downton Manor. The barn also has an old ship beam across its width, one of those that did not get used within the Manor. The barn, once used as a carriage shed, has been given a new lease of life as a distillery.

As a new artisan distiller, they have not only made a fantastic craft gin and bottled it in a seductive, bespoke package – they have captured something far greater and more unique too. There’s a zingy citrus ping on the nose, red cedar notes in the heart and a peppery finish but somehow, they’ve imbued the spirit of adventure itself in each sip.

This is a gin inspired by its geography and its hyper local (and very grand) history, but it’s still outwards focused. They’ve taken their truth as a trio and their sense of curiosity, combined that with the history of their provenance and run with it to create a unique flavour that’s truly authentic to who they are as a team and their location. Their Explorer’s Gin more than about being of somewhere and it’s not just another local gin with a twee story about yesteryear.

Downton Distillery is about looking to the horizon. It’s about escapism and exploration yet does so still firmly anchored by its characterful flavours and its location. It’s captured a sentiment that’s true to all of us – that of being inspired by great achievements and paying homage to them by working towards making your own path come true.

It is a New World gin and a daring idea underpinned by an authentic confidence and a dedication to the craft of ginsmithing. What they are doing – intentionally or not – is tapping into something within everyone and celebrating that sense of adventure. If that’s not contagious, we don’t know what is.

That is to us, the spirit of new craft distilleries. It’s that moment of inception, of taking the plunge of embarking on a quest. It’s the very idea that makes craft distilling so exciting and, it’s the embodiment of a show like Junipalooza. It has at its core a sense of wonderment and inspiration.

Explorer’s Gin is brave, bold, beautifully packaged and captured our attention by its inimitable ability to suspend disbelief and chart a course as you day dream about what could be if you too, were to pursue your sense of adventure to the fullest.

Written by Gin Foundry

The following was written by the Gin Foundry team.

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. It’s also about taking inspiration from the past and looking towards the future and making it relevant for the hear and now – it’s about putting it all together, with each piece of the puzzle as important as the next.

It usually takes many months for new distilleries to create the type of coherence that this team is showing from the start and we can’t help but be swept away by the sense of adventure of it all.  They demonstrate that great gin is about being more than the sum of any individual part and do so with panache. Because of this – they were a sure fit for our Bursary spot at Junipalooza and ahead of the big weekend, we decided to talk with founder and distiller Hugh Anderson to find out more about the road travelled so far… 

Hi Hugh! let’s start from the top – who’s the Downton Distillery team and what were you doing before devoting yourself to gin?

There are several people who make up the team. Meike, my other half, works in the financial sector in London, and spends most of her free time on marketing, branding, packaging and selling Explorer’s Gin. She has been a huge champion and supporter of making this dream a reality for us.

Charles and Francesca Andrews who own Downton Manor House and the barn where the distillery is located, without them this would not have been possible. They have run a couple of events both in London and Italy promoting the brand and spreading the word. 

Then Shona Doran and Lallie Jacout, two fantastic ladies who are an integral part of the crew and keep me sane. Then finally myself, I run the operations, distil, bottle and then package ready for the deliveries. I am also passionate about all things gin and love the continual learning process as it enriches ones knowledge.

What were you doing before ginsmithing?

Prior I was working in the mobile technology sector for many years and was increasingly keen to set up my own business. I gave up my day job in 2018 to dedicate my full attention to making gin. 

And was it a gradual idea that grew or something in particular moment that triggered you to take the plunge and start distilling?

The ember was sown when I took Meike, whose drink of choice has been gin for many years, to a gin making course at the City of London distillery for her birthday. I was fascinated by the whole experience, the history, the chemistry aspect and being able to create something very unique and subsequently drink it! Following this course, I got our first alembic still and started experimenting and learning as much as I could about the whole process.

You are based in Wiltshire, and as you mentioned about Charles and Francesca, Downton Distillery can be found in a Grade 1 listed barn adjacent to Downton Manor. Is that neck of the woods just home for you, or how did you come across such a glorious setting for your distillery?

I grew up on the other side of Salisbury in a village called Ford, then in Idmiston. Despite having lived in London I always loved Wiltshire and the New Forest. I currently split my time between London and Downton and see myself settling down there again sooner or later.  My best friend Charles bought Downton Manor House 5 years ago and whilst sitting together in front of the fire, with a gin and tonic in our hands, we were discussing future plans and came up with the idea to create our own gin. The barn next to the manor house happened to be empty and provided us with the ideal location to start our own distillery.

There’s quite a big Sir Walter Raleigh connection between the manor, the botanicals you’ve chosen and even the name of the still – could you tell us more about that?

Sir Walter Raleigh was given the manor house as his first grace and favour property in 1583. A year later Queen Elizabeth I provided him with a warrant to explore the New World, now America. When she came to stay at the manor in 1586, it was extended by Sir Walter Raleigh in order to make her stay as comfortable as possible. In order to do this, he sailed one of his ships up the Avon to Downton, where it was dismantled and the timber was used to build the great hall and the chapel room.

Our beautiful bottle tells the story of the ‘Golden Era of Discovery’ where Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh established new trade routes, that eventually allowed Britain to become a maritime sea power. As a result Raleigh brought back tobacco and potatoes from America. The navigation lines, the rose compass and the blue ocean colour reflect this spirit of adventure in the design of Downton Gin.

And botanically, was there also inspiration drawn from that era?

Absolutely, our unique botanical is Western Red Cedar which came back from America in 1852, it was called the ‘Tree of Life’ by the Native Indians, as they used it for medicine, cooking, tea, clothing and to build their canoes.  It grows in the distillery garden and is freshly cut before every distillation.

Raleigh, on his last expedition was looking for the fabled city of gold, ‘El Dorado’ in the 17th century. Our association to South America is the pink pepper corn, which originated from Peru.

I was originally working with lavender, which was the favoured flower in the Elizabethan era. Giving a sprig of lavender to your loved one was a sign of affection and the equivalent of the red rose today. However, it didn’t marry into the exploits of Sir Walter Raleigh.

Through research into the lives of maritime explorers during the 1700’s, I discovered that citrus fruits were used as an effective cure against scurvy. Scurvy was a cocktail of vitamin deficiencies, mainly of C and B, which was referred to as ‘the plague of the sea’ in the early 17th century and resulted in huge mortality rates. As a result, we decided to use grapefruit, lemons and oranges in the recipe.

Our still is called the Ark Royal, which was the name of the Queen’s first flag ship. Sir Walter Raleigh built it in 1586, and it was named Ark Raleigh, but due to the Spanish threat gave it to the Queen who then renamed it Ark Royal, following the convention at the time where the ship bore the name of her owner.

From the old Ark Royal to the modern incarnation of the rig made in copper and in the distillery – let’s talk set up! What are you working on  and what was the experience of putting the distillery together?

Soon after doing the course at the City of London distillery, I started experimenting in our kitchen on a little 3l still called Tilly, and after almost 2 years of tasting and testing I came up with the final Explorer’s recipe.

I am now operating a 100L Copper Alembic still and use both direct and vapour infusion to create Explorer’s Gin. The botanicals are macerated for around 14 hours whilst the charge is heated up slowly; fresh botanicals including lemon, orange, grapefruit and western red cedar are added prior to conducting the distillation.

Could we have gone larger? Absolutely – and we will very soon!

Having a background in programme management the planning side was straight forward, but as everyone knows the best plans can quickly come undone.

We learned a lot of things during the set up of the distillery.  Health and safety being paramount the restrictions and rules, especially from HMRC are tough. Having a long gravel driveway that lorries can’t use is probably the toughest challenge and requires a lot of organisation prior to deliveries – not something we considered when dreaming about making gin!

The gin is in some ways a tribute to the explorers of the ‘Golden Era‘ – how did you find the process of grappling with marrying the history of Downtown with a sense of modernity and making it relevant to the hear and now?

The most fun element was to create the brand and convey the story of Explorer’s gin and Downton Distillery. We were all in agreement in terms of the direction we wanted to take – marrying the golden era of discovery, the fantastic history of Downton and its manor house with a modern sense of adventure. Rather than just creating a bottle of gin, we wanted to embody a lifestyle that goes with it. We love the idea of pushing boundaries in whatever field you operate in, travelling and challenging yourself.  Being open and curious about the world is very important to all of us and translates into many aspects of our lives. Modern time explorers, that’s what we are.

Let’s talk about some of the really prominent notes in your gin – juniper, pink pepper are clear, but red cedar stands out strong to taste and is a very unusual choice of botanical too. What made you think to use it and more over, how would you describe the taste it adds to the ensemble?

It was a Eureka moment of discovery – I’m a keen gardener, and always looking at plants and flowers around me. Having walked around the garden of the manor house we were looking for something that would be unique and is relevant to our story. We discovered Western Red Cedar, and after doing some research, we tried to distil it and found it had a very interesting taste, piney and somehow citrusy. It was the final piece of the jigsaw and made the story complete.

Citrus peels, lemon verbena, bay and Sichuan pepper also feature in the mix, how hard has it been finding the perfect balance and create a harmonious flavour journey?

Very hard – it took a lot of experimenting and numerous distillations until I knew which flavours go well together and which botanicals are not adding much. A lot of experimenting and hard work went into finalising the recipe.  We are very happy with the final recipe of Explorer’s gin.

The gin took just over a year to create – a real rollercoaster ride – what’s been the biggest moment of triumph?

A real rollercoaster ride indeed. Having seen the business become reality from an idea to eventually having the final product in our hands was incredible and gives us a huge sense of achievement.

As with every business, there were many issues and obstacles on the way, which wasn’t made easier by the fact that Meike was going through chemotherapy for cancer last year. The time prior to going live last November was extremely stressful in many ways. We shouldn’t have worried so much as the local support was incredible! The fact that many people now come back to us to buy their second and third bottle is proof that we created a unique product that people love.

Looking back on all the things you’ve done over the past year, all the work, the ups and downs and everything you’ve learned along the way – What’s the best advice you could give a new distiller?

Read, research, unearth and discover as much as you possibly can. This is a continual process and there are many people who are willing to provide you with very helpful advice. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; there are many moving parts and the creation of your recipe is only one piece of a huge jigsaw. Try and find yourself a mentor who is willing to devote some of their time to you, and with whom you can bounce ideas and concepts off. This is invaluable and your success is their success.

When I started out, somebody asked me ‘Why should I care, when the market has all these other established and well-known brands?’ These words have given me drive to establish a coherent brand with purpose, and to prove that Explorer’s Gin deserves to have its own space on the shelves.

Be prepared to learn about things you have never imagined you would need to learn about. ATEX was one of these subjects that I have never heard of before we were building the distillery. Our timelines quickly shifted to the right and my learning curve was 0 – 100 mph in seconds. This was one area that I found I had to resolve by myself as everyone has had different experiences.

What drew us to what you are doing is the fact that it’s so specific to your geography, yet completely unrelated at the same time in that the sense of adventure and exploration you have set out to capture in is universal.

In your case it stems from Downton, sure, but it’s about looking outwards and what’s possible, what travelled out there and what came back. Has the idea of adventure and exploration been something you’ve always been attracted to?

The village of Downton has an incredible history, which rotates around exploration and discovery, so it’s always been around and close to us. The connection to Sir Walter Raleigh is more than historic though. That sense of adventure is something that we feel strongly in our family, and always have done. As an example – my grandfather helped establish Operation Raleigh in 1984, which allowed young people to become volunteers and take part in expeditions around the world – the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also took part in one of these trips. Meike and I, as well as the rest of the team, have grown up living in several countries and we all continue to maintain a sense of discovery and openness, be it in Wiltshire or further afield.

Today, the distillery is our adventure and we hope to bottle that spirit of adventure, to awaken that sense of curiosity that can be found inherently in everyone, and follow it, wherever it may lead. It’s an incredibly exiting journey, and something that we hope others will join us on!

And lastly, what’s the big hope for 2019 – what’s on the horizon for you?

 ‘Never stop exploring’ is the motto we live by, so we are keeping ourselves open to all possibilities. In terms of the course chartered ahead – we are focussing on growing our business and to sell our gin both in the local market (mainly Wiltshire and the new Forest) as well as throughout the UK in the second half of the year. I gave my first gin night talk in a local pub a couple of weeks ago, and there will be more of those coming up!

We really hope that people can see the journey we are on and feel like that they can be a part of it. It’s going to be an interesting path ahead and we’re really looking forward to connecting with others who share our sense of adventure! 

Discover Western Red Cedar

On the grounds of Downton Manor House grows a very old tree who reminds me of 'Tree Beard', an Ent who appears in the Lord of the Rings. He towers over the other trees, with his branches swinging low, his bark like brown plated steel. His pose and grace reflect wisdom and knowledge and when you run your hands through his scales, the most wonderful sweet aroma fills the air, making you think of pear drops. This is our 'Red Beard'.

Facts about 'Red Beard'

Scientific name: Thuja plicata

Common name: Western Red Cedar

Family: Cupressaceae

Origin: It came to England in 1852 from the West Coast of America (Oregon)

Height: Can grow up to 70m high and can live up to 1,000 years.

Smell: Crush the leaves between your fingers to release the wonderful oils, which smell citrusy and of pineapple.

Did you know that largest known western red cedar in the world, the Quinault Lake Red Cedar; has a wood volume of 17,700 cubic feet or 500 cubic meters? It is 180.5 feet high and has a diameter that is 20 feet!

A mythical tree that gave life

In Oregon this tree was called 'the Tree of Life.' It was, and still is, held in highest regard by all northwest coast tribes for its healing and spiritual powers.

The 'Kakawaka'wakw Tribe' of British Columbia, consider it the cornerstone of their culture because of its great spiritual significance and its many uses. The wood was used to make dugout canoes, house planks, bentwood boxes, arrow-shafts, masks, and canoe paddles. Its inner bark and the long arching branches are remarkably strong, given their flexibility. This bark would be soaked in water and twisted into ropes und used for mats, nets, clothing, baskets, and fishing line. The Kwakwaka’wakw warriors also created protective armour using the bark rope before going into battle. The scaled leaves were used to treat stomach pains and diarrhoea, whilst a decoction could be used to treat colds. The leaf buds are chewed in the against toothaches and sore lungs, whilst the shredded bark was used to cauterize sores and swellings.

Legends of old

Tales say that a person could receive its strength even if standing with their back to the tree. This we have tried following the bottling run, however our results are inconclusive!

Explorer's Gin

Whilst testing recipes for our Explorer’s Gin, I knew there was something missing from the botanical bill. I was able to tick off the normal citrus profiles which tied back into Explorer’s Gin, where citrus prevented scurvy amongst sailors and maritime adventurers. Whilst foraging around the gardens, looking at Linden Limes, Tulip Trees and other fauna I came across ‘Red Beard’. Most people would overlook such a tree mistaking it for Leylandii - which is poisonous - however on rubbing the scaled leaves it was clear that this was anything but and it was potentially the missing piece. It was then discovering and learning how it could be used in Explorer's Gin to show case those wonderful notes without over powering the other botanicals, to create something fragrant, floral and unique.

The more I learn about this tree the more respect I have for it. An entire culture was able to thrive by using it -  it provided food, shelter, materials and allowed native Americans to venture into the ocean.

This wonderful tree has come back to Downton and it is this tree that gives Explorer's gin its unique taste. A modern twist on an revered, ancient and historical botanical.

The following article was created by the Gin Foundry team consisting of Leah, Emile and Olivier. The subject matter is around the term 'craft' and its meaning to you, the customer.

Craft vs. Scale
The term ‘craft’ has, in our opinion, long lost any real merit. It still holds the ghost of a once potent resonance amongst many drinkers, but overuse has become mis-use, and the claims, counter claims and general misinformation about what it is isn’t craft (or even if the label matters), has stopped the term holding much weight.

As this happened something far more damaging to it regaining any semblance of meaning also occurred; Craft stopped having any distinguishable metrics, let alone the common consensus, on which to be evaluated by in the first place. Worse still, things that shouldn’t matter have become significant barometers in the eyes of many.

As journalists who’ve dedicated a decade of thought to Gin as a category, we are now so numb to the word that we’re almost oblivious to its inclusion in every second sentence on many a brand website. We don’t really subscribe to the term at all if we’re  being honest, but it’s put in there as a hallmark of trust and superiority, so it’s high time we really analysed it a little further.

In almost all circumstances, scale is used as an indicator of craft.

We hear about hand-made, gently-warmed, lovingly bottled (that’s our favourite nonsense term. Do you whisper sweet nothings into the spout?) gins, with the general view being that the fewer bottles there are in a batch, the more care and attention paid to each one. Craft and scale are inter-related as concepts, and the size of operation is often the first port of call to justify whether or not something can be considered Craft.

We, however, really don’t think it’s that hard to separate the two. While brands may like the shroud of mystery and while journalists like to imply that something small is something precious, we know that there are (and need to be) so many other factors at work here. We also know that some of the best gins in the world are made en-masse, so it’s fair to say we’re wading into this argument with more than a little bias…

Size matters to many
It is naïve to think that the term craft does not have any romantic connotations to most drinkers, and that this connection relates to the perceived scale of enterprise going on. It clearly does.

Small is traditionally associated with accessibility. Small is traditionally associated with being personable. Small is traditionally associated with being relatable and small often genuinely does involve a more labour intensive, manual process.

It’s also clear that once everything reaches a certain scale, the level of automation and industrialised procedure means that the human qualities and touches that are intrinsic to products made at smaller scales are lost, even if that also means the human errors are ironed out too.

The issue with distilling, especially with gin, is that many of the elements that are scaled are redundant to the parts that take skill. Does washing a bottle and applying a label really need to be done by hand for something to be deemed more crafted? Where is the skill in that? Automation isn’t always the enemy and while it might look industrial, it isn’t actually taking away from the parts that really matter.

The problem with size
The issue with judging craft by using the metric of scale is that size rarely reflects quality. A complex series of decisions, actions and intentions goes into every gin, no matter the size of the operation. Thus, if you don’t judge all of the other factors, you are essentially saying that it’s neither quality nor a pursuit of excellence that defines craftsmanship, and that any crap can be craft, so long as it’s a small operation.

Food and drink is one of the few industries for whom the term craft is the exclusive preserve of the small. Take building on the other hand, and one would never assume that because you could make sheds you are a craftsman, while those who work on cathedrals are jokers. Quite the opposite, it is the larger edifices of architecture that are more frequently deemed to be masterfully crafted wonder pieces – not the quirky yet lovingly made huts at the end of a garden.

In art, sculpture and almost every other creative medium where something is being made, the scale of something isn’t what’s being judged, it is the workmanship, artistry and attention to detail the defines whether something is considered to be well crafted or not.

Food and drink are clearly perceived differently. But why? With food and farming it’s a little easier to state why, as the scale of operation plays a huge role in the realities of welfare and how much attention to detail any given product can reasonably have.

But why is distilling – something by and large done via industry-standard equipment –  considered the same, and why is it not acceptable to have a big still and be a finely crafted product?

Is a Bentley less ‘craft’ than a high performance Go-Cart due to its scale? Of course not, and yet for gin makers, a small and often rudimentary pot still is considered an important part of a maker’s craft credentials. Just because it is hard to fully appreciate the sheer complexity of an operation once it reaches a certain size, it doesn’t mean we should discount the workmanship involved and the meticulous attention lavished on all the components that come together.

Attitude aside, at what point does one even calculate the scale? Measuring the size of a still, or the volume of fluid produced off each run of a still (or by bottle batch, or by yearly output, or, or, or…) each makes for some very subjective and easily exploitable criteria.

For example, if you were to say that to be considered ‘craft’, the still size would need to be less than 500L, or that the volume of fluid would need to be limited to a hearts cut of 300L per run, producers could easily just move to a multi-shot method and concentrate their recipes. We’re actually seeing this happen a lot anyway, as smaller distilleries cannot afford to re-invest in infrastructure and so look to increase the efficiency of their spirit runs.

For context – using those figures there, there is currently a British producer who makes between 15 and 22 thousand bottles a batch depending on the recipe and the client needs. While it’s an impressive bit of technical distilling, 22 thousand bottles of gin made each and every batch from a comparatively small still that only produced 300L of useable fluid is an obscene fact to marry-up to the fact that it would constitute being a ‘craft’ product.

The size of the still had nothing to do with the scale of batch. It may look small, but the concentrated dosage makes for a completely different reality once you look at the wider process and what happens thereafter.

If you measure the batch size in either fluid off the still or in finished bottle equivalent, this Single vs Multi-shot process dilemma makes deciding what number is appropriate very tricky, and it can disproportionately favour one style of production or the other and more inopportunely for those who peddle these messages, certain types of producers with specific agendas from which they look their best. Meanwhile, those who create separate distillates to then blend together become nigh on impossible to police.

For those who would like to go the American way and don’t look at batch size but focus on yearly output only – this is equally fraught with issues. Mostly, it is punitive for those doing well. Isn’t the point of all of this to build successful thriving businesses?

Capping someone to a level of culturally acceptable achievement and then handicapping them thereafter seems more of a punishment and less a celebration of decent products performing well. Especially as for most who reach that threshold in the US, nothing will have changed in the way they make a product – they will either have got an additional still, or finally pushed the distillery to its actual capacity, as opposed to when they start, where most only distil once or twice a week. It’s nonsensical in every way.

Bombay Sapphire kills the argument that small equates to Craft
Bombay Sapphire is a single shot distilled product. Their process is literally no different technically speaking than anyone else who distils with a small apparatus, it just happens to be done at 1000 times the scale. It’s gargantuan, but it’s the same process and the same raw material in terms of spirit and botanical.

Their procurement ethics, their sustainability and their environmental footprint however are far more scrutinised, therefor greater care has been taken than with smaller brands. With power comes responsibility, and also the financial capabilities of bankrolling a good conscience.

Bombay Sapphire’s botanical consistency, the testing they undertake on each component and the level of research they apply to each element of the chain is far greater than any micro-distillery. They have the same direct relationships with suppliers, just as the tiny one man bands do. All the factors that matter – the endeavour, the attention to detail, the passion are the same if not (cumulatively speaking) more acute, as there are more people who get to apply their entire focus on smaller areas of the process.

The scale is the only different factor and so we ask, if judged on all the other factors involved in production, how is Bombay not a craft product? Surely these other factors are more important than the size of their operation.

Craft is more complex
It is clear that judging crafty’ness is complex. In the case of Bombay Sapphire, the craftsmanship is more easily apparent in the sourcing, the consistency and the monitoring of ingredients, their environmental protection processes and their ability to recreate an identical standard each day, 24-hours a day. That level of precision is, when fully understood, truly admirable.

On a small scale however, it is less about those elements and much more about attribute the craftsmanship of the distiller. How they operate their apparatus and how they, the individual human at that end point on the production chain, define the outcome.

Those who say these small lone distillers do what all of the bigger players do, but they just do it all themselves and so display greater craftsmanship are talking absolute nonsense.

There is no room, no time and no funding for them to put each ingredient through chemical analysis; they don’t have to do the same evaluative process to monitor performance, nor manage the staff they manage, nor deal with the volumes of fluid etc.

While it can feel that a one-man band is the definition of craftsmanship, don’t fool yourself into thinking they do to the same level as if each component had an expert dedicated to just doing that one thing alone. There is not enough time, nor resource to be able to do that. As size grows, the level of craftsmanship and understanding to deliver consistency needs to grow too.

It’s time we all accept that in both situations, humans define the outcome. For the larger producers, more individuals play a smaller but more defined detailed role at impacting the final product, whereas in the small distilleries it is fewer people who share a bigger burden of the craft of making exceptional spirit but spend less time drilling down into each facet along the way.

The craft is deferred elsewhere away from the sole individual; it is different as it is applied to other areas and for each person as we showed above, it is about very specific sets of tasks – but it exists all the same.

Size is not a valid metric for craft
We were once told the difference between a builder and a craftsman was attitude, experience and skill set. By this definition size has no place in the equation. Just as with the builders, it is time we judge the action, the endeavour and the finished result, not just the scale of the tools being used.

For those who say gin making is a far more artistic creation than building, then consider this: All art has craft and vice versa, but craft seeks perfection whereas art seeks expression. The craftsman’s job is to make something identical each and every time. That’s why there are not two Mona Lisa’s. By these criteria, the judgement surrounding Craft is therefore one that is made about the ability to replicate something consistently. This has nothing to do with size.

Another good example of this is Beefeater Master Distiller Desmond Payne. He’s been in the game for over 50 years, and while he produces one of the biggest and highly industrialised, most far-reaching gins on the globe, he is undoubtedly a master of the craft, able to tell if a gin is up to scratch merely by sniffing it.

It is time we start looking at scale in a different way and accept that just like building cathedrals or creating monolithic sculptures, it is possible to make something big and bring in the kind of personnel, procedure and integrity that can in the right circumstances be considered Craft with a capital C.

Explorer's Gin launched at the Salisbury Christmas Market 2018. The first two batches of 180 bottles were sold within two days, much faster than anticipated. In total 17 batches were completed. Local support and feedback were fantastic. We are grateful to everyone who came to see us and you can now order online or see us every Friday night at Downton Brewery.