DOWNTON DISPATCHES | DOWNTON DISTILLERY

Our Adventurer of the Month is one of Britain's greatest aviation pioneers, a woman whose courage, determination and ambition helped redefine what was possible during the golden age of flight....

300 years after Raleigh tried to find El Dorado, Percy Fawcett set out to find a different city, a city that he called 'Z'.  Steven Spielberg & George Lucas based...

A Brief History of Rhubarb Rhubarb's story begins in Asia, where it was prized for its medicinal properties long before it became a culinary ingredient. It travelled west along the...

Over the last couple of years, the spirits and food industries have seen a major shift in consumerism as people have become aware of their food intolerances and the rise...

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, people across the nation pause for two minutes of silence. It is a simple act, yet one filled...

Last week I received a call, it was a cold call, nothing new there. The lady who I spoke to sounded very nice and pleasant. Her manners were impeccable, and...

Earlier this year we switched our focus from making gin to creating hand sanitiser for our local communities. This switch saw the distillery support local front-line services, schools, care homes,...

We were delighted to be named a winner of Theo Paphitis' Small Business Sunday (SBS) award. Founded by the Dragon's Den entrepreneur, SBS celebrates outstanding small businesses from across the...

James Bond 007 ordered his first Martini in Goldfinger written in 1964, but the following year he ordered a Pink Gin in ‘The Man with the Golden Gun.’ This type...

Over the last couple of months it has been wonderful to see how different sectors have come together for the greater good of both their communities and supporting the front...

BBC Article - by Stephanie Hegarty Population correspondent. Shelves all over the world are empty, there's slim pickings online and the few suppliers that are selling are pricing at way...

With the promise of Spring budding on every tree branch (not that we can get to with all the self isolation) and the interminable greyness of January and February behind...

I received a couple of enquiries about using ‘Whisky’ as an option for hand sanitiser, I would normally have said ‘no’. However, some research has just come to light over...

The new coronavirus (Covid-19) is spreading very quickly and everyone is susceptible to the pandemic. In attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus we’re being told to wash our hands more, preferably...

At Downton Distillery, we believe that a sense of place matters. The landscapes, seasons and wildlife of Wiltshire influence everything we do, which is why we are proud to feature...

The Lee Valley Velodrome a bastion where athletes from across the globe come to compete. It’s here that feats of human endurance have been made, records have tumbled, and dreams...

The Royal County of Berkshire Show holds a very special place in my heart. Few events have been part of my life for quite as long. With a history dating...

This summer both Meike and I went on holiday to the Turkish side of Cyprus. Not having any expectations of what lay in store we were delighted to see both...

Plastic straws may seem insignificant, but their environmental impact is substantial. Some reports estimate that almost 500 million disposable plastic straws end up in landfill every year. A review by...

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. Scientific...

The definition of 'zingy' is someone or something full of zest that is full of flavour and brings spark and life to something. This is exactly what the lemon does...

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...

The following was written by the Gin Foundry team in 2019. Gin Foundry is now Spirits Beacon. It’s rare when we see a start-up with massive potential right off the...

Szechuan pepper provides the warmth and spice in Explorer’s Gin. It originated from China and has been used in culinary foods since the 14th century.  Most people will remember their...