The gin renaissance is big business; not only are there new styles of the spirit popping up regularly and ruining mothers, but there’s money to be made in seeing how it’s done, too.
One of the many lovely things about being lucky enough to live in London is the ease of access to the capital’s very own Dry Gin (don’t worry, fellow Northerners and countryside dwellers, there’ll be a round-up of the best distillery tours outside of London coming soon).
Here are the best places in London to see gin being made (and in some cases, to make your own).
- The London Distillery Company
Based in Battersea, The London Distillery Company is home to Dodd’s Gin. A green, eco-friendly company which has designed a unique cooling water system to recover heat from its copper stills for use elsewhere. Tours are by appointment only and cost £15 per person.
2. Sipsmith Distillery Tours
Sipsmith opens its doors to the public every Tuesday and Wednesday from 6:30 – 8:15pm (but private tours are available). This Chiswick-based tour costs £15 per person and includes a gin and tonic on arrival and a tutored tasting on the Sipsmith spirits.
3. City of London Distillery
The COLD tours take place every weekday at midday and last 45 minutes. The tour, which costs £10 per person, includes ‘meeting’ the stills, observing the bottling, labelling and sealing process, and a miniature of City of London Dry Gin to take away. Evening tours, which take place Monday – Wednesday and Saturday evenings from 6pm, also include a gin tasting. Evening sessions cost £25 per person and last 60 minutes.
4. Beefeater London Distillery
Housed in an Edwardian building with a 1950s extension, the Beefeater Distillery features original Victorian pot stills. Tours are self-guided, running Monday – Saturday from 10am (last entry at 5pm), and culminate in a gin and tonic. Entry is £12 per person.
The Ginthusiast 