Written by Lisa Proffitt | 22nd December 2021
A glass of champagne at a cocktail party always hits the right note, but we are above all a nation of gin lovers. Over the last ten years there has been a huge growth in local gin production and we’re fortunate to have some of the best artisan producers crafting sublime gins right here in the Michael Graham region:
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Buckingham-based Foxdenton Gin has a whole raft of gorgeous gins, including their London dry gin and six pretty fruit gin liqueurs - raspberry, plum, golden apricot, damson, rhubarb and sloe. We love their English Garden Gin which combines elderflower, lemon verbena and thyme with a traditional blend of botanicals. Serve with a premium tonic, lemon and plenty of ice, or add a splash to a gin-based cocktail. Foxdenton’s Christmas Liqueur is made with local Winslow plums and a blend of traditional Christmas spices and we can safely recommend it as the ideal winter warmer.
BEDFORDSHIRE
Willow Tree Gin is a favourite of This Morning presenter Philip Schofield and is distilled in small batches on a family farm in Bedfordshire. Made with a blend of 12 botanicals, including fresh lemon thyme and Thai basil, the gin is local but with a hint of the exotic. All herbs are grown on the farm and Willow Tree Distillery works with the local Forest of Marston Vale, donating 50p for every full-size bottle of Willow Tree Gin sold to support the planting of new trees.
HERTFORDSHIRE
Campfire Gin is produced in small batches by Puddingstone Distillery. Set in the beautiful Chiltern Hills, the gin takes its name from the fact that the founders have enjoyed their best G&Ts around a campfire. Gin-based cocktails are also a passion of the owners who won the World’s Best Martini Challenge 2019 event in London with their Campfire London Dry Gin Martini. Free cocktail demonstrations are a regular event at the distillery so keep an eye on their website to discover the next available events for picking up tips and tricks from the experts.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
Since 2017 Hustle Gin has been distilled in Castle Ashby in small batches of 250 bottles. “New Black” is flavoured with cubeb pepper and orange blossom; a delicate pink gin flavoured with grapefruit and raspberry and the signature Hustle dry gin. Gin tastings are offered in the comfort of your own home, so whether you’re planning a birthday party, hen do or just want an excuse to get together with friends and drink gin, you need their number on speed dial.
Warner’s Gin also in Northamptonshire is described as “farm-grown” gin and the Falls Farm team draw water from their well, sustainably grow many of their own botanicals and collect honey from their beehive. As well as their variety of traditional gins, they craft a Christmas cake gin from dark chocolate and winter spices distilled before being cask-aged and blended with pure cherry juice. Free personalisation of their 70cl bottles makes a lovely Christmas gift for the gin lover in your life, or gift them a voucher for a tour around the distillery.
WARWICKSHIRE
Stratford Gin from Stratford-upon-Avon - the Shakespeare Distillery in Warwickshire produce small hand-crafted batches of their award-winning Stratford dry gin plus three flavoured gins: Mulberry, Rhubarb and Elderflower and Quince. The owners also offer one-hour tours of their working distillery, run a gin school and have partnered with Avon Boating to offer 60-minute gin tasting cruises on the River Avon.
LEICESTERSHIRE
Burleighs Gin from Charnwood Forest - this extra-small batch gin is inspired by the distillery’s woodland setting and botanicals include silver birch, dandelion, burdock and elderberry. A firm favouritefor the holiday season is their pink gin in an eye-poppingly pink bottle featuring images of Hollywood screen siren Marilyn Monroe. A bottle on the bar will impress your guests and add a touch of red carpet glamour to any drinks party this Christmas.
OXFORDSHIRE
The Oxford Artisan Distillery, aka TOAD, makes Ashmolean Dry Gin, inspired by the Museum’s collections from around the world and flavoured with 17 botanicals. TOAD uses rye, wheat and barley grown on small, local farms within a 50-mile radius of the site and distils the grain in hand-made copper stills. They are proud to be the only distillery in the world using ancient populations heritage grain. Tours of the distillery show this amazing process in action.
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