Across Wiltshire, Dorset, and Hampshire, some of the country’s finest producers are crafting exceptional products but with every creation there is an element of waste, which in some cases can be reused.

Reusing waste produce can spark creativity and innovation, transforming what would be discarded into something valuable and new. By repurposing byproducts from food and drink production, businesses can craft unique flavors, sustainable products, and reduce environmental impact. For example, fruit peels, spent grains, or coffee grounds can be infused into spirits, brewed into craft beers, or turned into syrups and bitters. This not only minimizes waste but also enhances sustainability, creates circular economies, and offers something exciting and environmentally conscious. Waste isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of something new.

In 2018 William Grant & Sons launched Discarded Spirits, focusing on creating spirits from traditionally wasted ingredients, such as banana peels and grape skins.

So what have we created?

Creating Chardonnay vodka from pomace is an innovative way to repurpose winemaking byproducts while crafting a distinctive spirit. Chardonnay pomace—comprising grape skins, seeds, and residual juice left after pressing—still contains fermentable sugars and aromatic compounds, making it an excellent base for distillation. The process begins by rehydrating the pomace with water and fermenting the remaining sugars.

Once fermentation is complete, the liquid is distilled to extract the alcohol while preserving Chardonnay’s delicate fruit and floral notes. Multiple distillations help refine the spirit, removing impurities and enhancing clarity. A final filtration process polishes the vodka, ensuring a smooth mouthfeel. Unlike traditional neutral vodkas, Chardonnay vodka carries subtle wine-like characteristics, with hints of green apple, cacao, pear and citrus from the grape skins and stalks.

Marc is a French pomace brandy made by distilling the leftover grape skins, seeds, and stems (pomace) after the winemaking process. It is similar to Italian grappa, but Marc is traditionally stronger and more rustic in flavour. Typically unaged (left is steel barrels) or lightly aged in oak barrels, Marc has a bold, earthy character with rich fruit and nutty undertones. It’s often enjoyed as a digestif, highlighting the full potential of winemaking byproducts in sustainable spirit production.

Fifteen is crafted from 15 wines that were destined for disposal, giving them a new life in spirit form. Our Eau de Vie is a clear, unaged fruit brandy distilled from carefully selected fermented grape juice, transforming surplus wines into a refined and expressive spirit.

With an abundance of walnuts surrounding the distillery, we were inspired to craft our own unique take on Nocino. This dark, rich, and aromatic walnut liqueur has deep roots in Italian tradition, made from unripe green walnuts harvested at their peak—soft, brimming with natural oils, and bursting with flavor. We macerate the walnuts in a carefully selected spirit, infusing them with sugar, citrus, and warming spices. Over weeks and months of slow steeping, the mixture transforms, developing layers of earthy nuttiness, velvety sweetness, and a complex spice profile. Once aged to perfection, our Nocino emerges as a bold yet smooth elixir, perfect for sipping neat, drizzling over desserts, or crafting indulgent cocktails.

We have created an Apple brandy in partnership with Cranborne Chase Cidery. It is made from English apples capturing the rich heritage and diverse flavours of Britain’s orchards, transforming traditional cider apples into a refined and expressive spirit. Unlike dessert apples, English cider apples—such as Kingston Black, Yarlington Mill, and Dabinett offer a bold balance of sweetness, tannins, and acidity, creating a depth of character in the final brandy.

The process begins by fermenting freshly pressed apple juice into cider before distillation concentrates the natural flavours. Some apple brandies remain unaged, preserving crisp, orchard-fresh notes, while others mature in oak casks, developing warm layers of caramel, spice, and baked apple. Somerset Cider Brandy, one of England’s most celebrated apple brandies, follows centuries-old methods, embracing slow aging to create a complex and smooth spirit.

Whether sipped neat, used in classic cocktails, or paired with rich cheeses and desserts, English apple brandy reflects the terroir andcraftsmanship of Britain’s cider-making traditions.

After each distillation, our botanicals are either put into compost for the vineyard or made into trial jams.  We now give our citrus from the still to Jen at the distinguished 'Naked Jams' to produce marmalade.