DOWNTON DISPATCHES | DOWNTON DISTILLERY

Vermouth, a fortified wine flavoured with various botanicals, has a rich and varied history that spans several centuries. The creation of modern vermouth is credited to the Italians, specifically in...

Downton Distillery partnered with the Great Bustard Group to create 'Great Bustard Gin,' earlier this year. With each bottle sold, Downton Distillery gives 25 per cent of the money back...

Lucerne and red clover form the regenerative backbone of Great Bustard Gin. Discover how these ancient nitrogen fixing plants rebuild soil, support pollinators, store carbon, and bring meadow depth and...

Have you noticed how much quieter the countryside can seem today? The dawn chorus still exists, but in many parts of Britain it is becoming noticeably thinner. Species that once...

Thank you to those who continue to support our conservation work. One of our projects is the rewilding of Juniper. To date we have two groves / colonies, with twenty...

Last Friday was a bittersweet evening tinged with joy and sadness. The evening was Wiltshire’s answer to the Oscars, just more countrified with a little less paparazzi. It was the...

Our Adventurers of the Month are the Antarctic Fire Angels, an extraordinary team of female firefighters who set out to prove that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things. The expedition...

Creating spirits for James May is never straightforward. Following the success of Asian Parsnip and American Mustard, we were asked once again to develop a spirit around an unusual concept....

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...

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...

Over the last two years we have been focusing on our 'Eco Programme,' With the race to becoming a net zero economy by 2050, sustainability is becoming vital pillar to...

We are delighted to announce that our Chardonnay Vodka has been awarded Double Gold at this year's World Vodka Awards, recognising both the quality of the spirit and the unique...

Consumers are increasingly asking where products come from, how they are made and what impact they have on people and the environment. Independent organisations are responding by looking beyond marketing...

The world map is far less permanent than most of us imagine. Borders shift, nations emerge and others disappear. Recent events such as Brexit remind us that political geography is...

Written by Peter Salenieks Over two thousand beacons were lit across the United Kingdom and further afield on 2 June, marking the Queen's Platinum Jubilee by continuing a tradition that...

With summer upon us, there has never been a better time to discover the joys of wild swimming. Over recent years, the sport has experienced a remarkable rise in popularity...

One of our Explorer’s last year was Colonel Percy Fawcett who disappeared in the Amazon whilst trying to find the ‘Lost City of Z’. His theory of a lost civilisation...

With summer now upon us this dish celebrates those fresh summer flavours. It started originally as a simple Italian peasant dish and is now a celebrated Italian Classic with clams...

The countryside is finally bursting into life and one of the most eagerly awaited signs of early summer is the arrival of elderflower. For just a few short weeks, hedgerows...

This month we were informed about a lady called 'Arabella Slinger' by one of our readers, who is currently in Antarctica trekking 600 miles over 40 days. Her journey will...

Creating sustainable spirits is not always the easiest or cheapest path. Explorer's Gin is a perfect example. Our bottle is manufactured and decorated in Milan before making its journey across...

Our Explorer of the Month is adventurer Lucy Shepherd, a modern explorer whose achievements already place her amongst the most accomplished expedition leaders of her generation. At just 23 years...

Simple sugar syrup is one of the most important ingredients in cocktail making. Found in everything from a Daiquiri and Whiskey Sour to a French 75 and Tom Collins, it...

Our Explorer of the Month is a remarkable adventurer whose achievements remain surprisingly overlooked today. Gertrude Bell travelled further, saw more, and influenced events on a scale few explorers ever...