Sipsmith is not like other gin distilleries. Having launched the first copper distillery in London since 1820, we put an emphasis on handcrafting each and every bottle to the standards we began with to make sure that each one turns out just so.
Between our distilling methods, botanicals, and our Distillers’ fetishistical supervision, our Distillery offers up daily devotion to handcrafting gin of uncompromising quality and character.
Having gone from just a handful of gins on the back of an average bar to a veritable snowstorm of choice, there is much debate about the meaning of ‘craft gin’ and its perceived value – but what does all this actually mean for your G&T?
When we opened our little blue Distillery doors on Nasymth Street in 2009, we were the first to do so in London for nearly 200 years.
When we opened our little blue Distillery doors on Nasymth Street in 2009, we were the first to do so in London for nearly 200 years. Nobody in living memory had been granted a licence to distil in small batches, the traditional way on copper, since 1820. We began that journey with just one philosophy – believing in things made properly, without shortcuts or compromises, and 6 years later every bottle of our gin is made in exactly this way.
Our name says it all really: Fairfax’s father is a silversmith and likened how we talked about distilling to his life as a craftsman. When you peel back the layers we believe that ‘handcrafted’ really means something. To us it’s a belief in certain elements of the process (such as only ever using the One-Shot Method and distilling on copper for smoothness). But whilst there will always be healthy debate between Distillers about the right methodology there is a philosophy at the heart of handcrafted that we believe to be the true litmus test: having a distiller in front of the still, making minute to minute decisions about the specific nature of that batch, who has the artistry and discernment to make the distillation cuts and treat each batch as unique. To us, being genuinely handcrafted is a commitment to this practice and philosophy.
We began that journey with just one philosophy – believing in things made properly, without shortcuts or compromises…
As we grow, more batches simply means more hands, ensuring that each and every batch lives up to the Sipsmith philosophy. This prompted our move down the road to slightly larger Blue Distillery Doors at Cranbrook Road, and gave birth to Prudence’s sisters Constance, Patience and Cygnet. It’s that philosophy that set us apart then and continues to set us apart now- it’s what we would define as handcrafted.
Today Sipsmith Master Distiller Jared, and Head Distiller Ollie, are joined by Trainee Distiller Kit, on hand to make sure there is always that time care and attention, so that all you have to focus on is how to make the perfect G&T.
