English Spirits & Wines

English Gin

Gin emerged in England in the early 17th Century, and it's cheap price versus French Brandy made it popular among the poor. The invention of the column still in the 1820s made the distillation of spirits practical, which led to the creation of the "London dry" style of gin, and in tropical colonies gin grew in popularity as it masked the bitter flavour of the anti-malarial compound, quinine. This led to the popular cocktail, gin and tonic.

While Gin has always proven a popular spirit in England, there has been a recent boom in the industry. There were just 26 gin producers in 2010 but there are now closer to 140. If you are interested in touring some Plymouth Gin Distillery and Beefeater are 2 good options. If you want another unique gin experience a trip to The Ginstitute in Notting Hill for their gin masterclass is a must.

English whisky

Whisky is not near as important in England as it is in Scotland or Ireland, however England does have a history of producing single malt whisky. England had 4 main distilleries in the late 1800s, but with the closure of Lea Valley Distillery, in Stratford, London, in 1905, single malt production ceased until a revival in 2013 by The London Distillery Company. There are now 6 distilleries producing whisky and around 8 more in various stages of development. The Cotswolds Distillery, which also makes gin, offer tours, as do The Lakes Distillery and The English Whisky company which operates from St Georges Distillery in Norwich.

English wine

Winemaking was introduced to England by the Romans, and production continued for centuries until a decline in the mid 1800s. Viticulture was revived in the 1970s, and the first English wines in that decade were influenced by the sweet German wines like Liebfraumilch and Hock. At the last count, there were just over 450 vineyards producing wine throughout England.

If you want to explore the viticulture of England during your stay, Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey, the largest vineyard in England is worth a visit as is Sharpman Wineyard in Devon, which also produces great cheeses.

Whether you are interested in gins, whiskeys or wines, or would like a tour which takes in a bit of all three, contact our team who can help you put together the perfect trip.