Finding Inspiration at Bombay Sapphire Distillery, Laverstoke

 Laverstoke Mill, Bombay Sapphire Distillery, designed by Heatherwick Studio

Everyone has a different source of inspiration. Mat – for instance – has a proper love for inhouse magazines, which you’ll see popping up on more or less any post he does about weekend relaxing or long train journeys.

My inspiration comes mainly from those people I follow online. Those folks who regularly post content that captivates me for longer than the usual split-second, opens my mind a little, and leaves me slightly jealous of their creative eye and ability. I can’t name check everyone here; but, folks like our friend Jordan and our very own Yasumi definitely deserve a mention – their ability to capture different angles and interesting details in everyday objects is impressive beyond belief.

And then there’s Haarkon; an account I’ve been following religiously for the past few months, checking in every time they have a new Instagram post or blog. These guys have an incredible eye and their content – focused almost exclusively on indoor plant life – has a hauntingly beautiful quality that will stop you in your tracks.

Recently, I tried to mimic their style with my own pic (hey – imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!) – and then, when the opportunity came to visit the glasshouses at the Bombay Sapphire distillery, I saw my chance to try and emulate them just a little more.

I’m sure many people reading this will have caught a glimpse of the Bombay Sapphire distillery before. It features two striking glasshouses, designed by Heatherwick Studio (the guys behind the new London Routemaster bus), that seem to grow from the bed of the river that runs through the distillery. Twisting and turning their way into the red brick buildings of this former paper mill, it’s as if these glasshouses are an integral part of the gin making process, drawing up the water for the gin and imparting the essence of the plants they house as it sweeps passed.

They aren’t directly part of the process; but, the glasshouses are a perfect reflection of the gin making method, where a neutral spirit is transformed into something flavourful through the introduction of various botanicals; which – in the case of Bombay Sapphire – include liquorice, orris root, angelica, coriander, grains of paradise, and five others.

Visiting East London Liquor Company

In 2014 I became well accustomed with whisky, on first-name-terms if you will. I started the year knowing little more than the fact I knew I wanted to like it, but in the main I was mostly indifferent. I liked the sweeter American ones, but it wasn't until I visited The Glenrothes back in November that I started to really enjoy a wider range. Like beer, you've got to try a bunch to figure out which you really like.

I haven't touched gin since I was a teenager. Paint stripper-type cheapness and blinding headaches left a lasting impression - strong enough for me never to touch the stuff in over 10 years. Maybe I was being close-minded but memory is a powerful thing. It wasn't until late December 2014 when I was contacted by Virgin Experience to see if I would like to visit the East London Liquor Company's Distillery + Bar that I'd considered giving it a second chance. One look at their website and I was sold.

Located just off the canal between London Fields + Mile End, the East London Liquor Company is the definition of a craft spirits distillery. They produce their own gin (and soon to be whisky), in small qualities, right in front of your eyes. As we waited for our tour of their distillery to start we sat patiently in the bar, knowing that just over our shoulders lurked two beautiful + imposing coppery behemoths - otherwise known as East London Liquor Company's distills. The only other bar/distillery I've been to like this was Moon River Brewing Co. in Savannah, GA. They've done a brilliant job creating such welcoming and almost homely-feeling environment.

Photos 1, 7, 10, 11 provided

As I mentioned above, I wouldn't consider myself a fan of gin, but I really wanted these guys to convince me otherwise - after all, it is one of Britain's most loved drinks. Our group was taken on a tour of the small, but perfectly formed, pristine distillery. We learnt about the distilling process, their unique + bespoke equipment, why they use certain ingredients, where they take inspiration from and why their branding means so much to them. It's true, a company's branding/positioning can make a sale (first impressions and all), you only have to look at The Apprentice's Water Task to see what I mean. Taste-wise their gin was nothing like I'd had in the past - I was pleasantly surprised. Tasting the individual flavours of each of their gins was a real eye-opener, and since has turned into my drink of choice.

Overall I genuinely enjoyed my time speaking to the folks at East London Liquor Company. Getting to share a drink with the people that make the distilling happen was a real highlight for me. We even got to try other curious drinks like rum gin and "hops"-laced gin, who knew? The latter wasn't so much to my taste, but as for their own stuff, let's just say I'm giving gin a well deserved second chance.

Thank you to Virgin Experiences for inviting us to the East London Liquor Store for the afternoon. Click the link for more information on the tour.

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Exploring Scotland on The Last Great Malts Tour

Scotland was never on my radar much before last year. I visited once, maybe twice before, but it had always been that classic case of 'it's local, and it's not going anywhere'. That may be true, but it's not a particularly good excuse for neglecting a bit of exploration - and we're always meaning to broaden our horizons.

Scotland, it turns out, has a lot to offer this blog - stunning countryside, happening towns, whisky galore, and very friendly people. Last year's Glenrothes trip could have filled a number of posts - and we were only there for one night. In the end, we stuck with some damn fine distillery shots and a piece on a VW graveyard.

This year, it was back to almost the same spot in Speyside, on Scotland's East Coast: an area packed with whisky distilleries. And this time, rather than just one, we'd be visiting five, covering six hundred miles of the Scottish Highlands. So, you can probably guess that this post on its own won't really do the experience justice. Sorry in advance for that.

Visiting the Jack Daniel's Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee

Imagine travelling for 15 hours to spend 48 hours in Tennessee...Jack Daniel's invited me over to exeperience the brand in the way it was intended

 

A tour of the one and only Jack Daniel's distillery in Lynchburg, followed by a tasting class

 

Have you heard the story about how the late Mr Jack Daniel never revealed what the iconic no.7 - found on the front of the top selling American whiskey in the world - actually represents? Or how it's always been tradition of the company to gift each employee a bottle Jack along with their monthly pay check? Even more intriguing, the strange and unfortunately circumstances of how the man himself passed away from a freak incident involving a safe?

I was oblivious to all of the above until I had the pleasure of being invited by the Jack Daniel's brand to spend a couple of days in Tennessee, with the aim to discover what makes this globally recognised brand tick, and how they have built up a grass-roots empire from a sleepy town in the middle of nowhere.

 

The water used in the distilling process comes from within the distillery grounds

I’d hold my hands up and be the first one to say that Jack Daniel’s isn’t a brand I’d generally reach for on the shelves. I've always seem myself as quite open minded when it comes down to it, but I am guilty of overlooking certain things if I don't have some form of connection with them. My obsession with pop culture extends to having an deep appreciation for how brands can become ingrained within daily life - through clever marketing, memorable branding design, familiarity, hard work, and deep down a (usually) honest, homegrown product. Similar to how iconic brands such as McDonald's Coca-Cola, Disney, Apple + Nintendo are all instantly recognisable by the design of their logo, Jack Daniel's is just as synonymous worldwide with whiskey and music.

My whirlwind of weekend - which involved a 15 hour journey from Blackpool to Nashville, one way! - was something I'll never forget. The journey into the depths of Tennessee felt like it was never going to end, but our opened-armed welcome into the sleepy town of Lynchburg, where every single drop of Jack Daniel's whiskey has ever been made, quickly eliminated any tiredness. The air smelt industry-sweet and smiling faces graced every front porch.

A tour of the working distillery was done by our guide, Sam, with an enthusiasm and energy that only our American brothers can seem to achieve - showing us the inner-workings of the process but also emphasising on the finer points of the brand's heritage and infrastructure. For me, these were the moments where the brand started to come alive.

Visiting The Glenrothes Whisky Distillery

The Glenrothes Distillery, Speyside, Scotland

Scotland to me is like the old bus analogy – you wait for ages, then two come along at once. A couple weeks after I visited the Johnstons of Elgin Wool Mill I found myself preparing to catch the plane back up to the very same part of the east coast of Scotland. Bags packed for two days in Rothes at The Glenrothes' own house, for a tour of the whisky distillery, food and "outdoor pursuits". I'm not the manliest of guys but this trip was sure to hoick me up the ladder.

Another 4am rise for Buckets. People keep saying, "you must be getting used to it by now", yet it never gets any easier. But the thing is, just like my 3:30am rise for our trip to Paris, these travel opportunities rarely disappoint. In steps The Glenrothes, one of the most prestigious and acclaimed Single Malt Whisky Distillers of them all. I'm not one to doubt 130 years in the business. My knowledge of whisky mostly stems from Hollie's Dad's drinks cabinet – where I've been known to work my way through his Japanese selection – so in the scheme of things I know very little.

With something so specialists + subjective as whisky it's best to listen to the experts, and The Glenrothes team have it running through their veins. The live it. After a quick meet-and-greet with our travel partners (Foodepedia + Toms Whisky Reviews) and bag drop at The Glenrothes cottage we made our way through the local woodland to the famous distillery.

Exploring the Isle of Jura with Trakke + Jura Whisky

Image by Willy Iffland

It's not often I arrive home from a trip feeling totally content, but spending three days getting to know the beautiful island, and people of Jura was an experience I'm not likely to easily forget. We were invited to stay on the Scottish island by Jura Whisky, to celebrate their partnership between Glasgow-based Trakke, and the distillery itself – the result being a limited edition waxed cotton backpack.

Travel to this remote island wasn't easy, in fact it took two trains, a overnight in Glasgow, a plane, a ferry and an hour's bumpy taxi ride to reach the town of Craighouse. But it was all worth it just for those views.

We spent three days on Jura - a mountainous and boggy island, located west of mainland Scotland. An island famous for its whisky, but vast in its community spirit, local quirks and plush landscape. By intergrated ourselves into the community; drinking and dining with the locals, learning about the island's history and exploring the endless rocky terrain, we experienced a true sense of what it might be like to live somewhere so remote.

When the collaboration between outdoor brand Trakke and Jura Whisky was shared with me, I was instantly intrigued, but learning about the reasons behind why these two companies were coming together made for a more meaningful experience.

Cocktails Through The Letter Box with Shaken

Something mad has been happening in our household over the past few months: beer has taken a backseat, and spirits have stepped up to the oche. It started harmlessly enough, with a whisky tasting class here, and a tour of a gin distillery there, and now I hear that this week is National Cocktail Week...its appeal shows no signs of slowing down.

The main reason I've pumped the breaks on beer a little is due to it constantly leaving me feeling bloated. I still have maybe a couple of bottles a week, but lately I've turned into a Gin + Tonic or Mint Julep kinda character.

So when Shaken contacted me to see if I'd be keen to trial their monthly cocktail kit subscription I jumped at the chance to test out some new combinations.

We're all pretty familiar with the way monthly subscriptions work now, and Shaken's model uses the tried-and-tested formula: with premium ingredients and tailored recipes delivered straight to your door. I've come across monthly beer + food subscriptions but not specifically one for cocktails, so I was definitely intrigued.

We picked Shaken's Gin-based box

A few days later a neatly packaged box arrived at our door, containing enough ingredients (all liquid-based, no fresh lemons, limes etc.) to make four cocktails, plus a neat recipe guide to fit our chosen spirit. We chose gin as our base, of course!

Without delay we started to prepare our first cocktail: The Aviation. With all the ingredients we needed within the box it made for a nicer experience than the usual dashing around the supermarket, then getting home to realise you'd forgotten something. We did need to pick up some fresh stuff in our weekly shop, but nothing we wouldn't usually buy.

The Aviation cocktail was a cross between a Parma Violets' explosion and something James Bond would have been sipping in From Russia With Love! Very swankytown.

 

Our kit included - Brooker's Gin, green chartreuse, creme de violette, absinthe and maraschino cherry liqueur

Our second offering was the curiously named The Last Word. It sure lived up to its name too - we'd say this one is to be savoured, rather than sunk. I loved the aniseed kick from the absinthe, which again, took me back to my childhood and those penny sweet shops. The Last Word comes in a solid first place for me, while Hollie was more of a creme de violette gal.

Overall the experience of receiving a hand-picked cocktail kit through the post, from Shaken, was an experience myself+ Hollie both really enjoyed, as I like the idea of trying something new (other than the standard recipes) each month. It got us thinking more about what flavours work together, and how paying a little more for quality ingredients runs beyond food - the mixers + garnish are a big deal too. At £24 per month (you can opt out at any time), it's comparable in price to other drinks subscriptions, if not slightly cheaper.

If you would like to hear more about how the Shaken subscription works then click here. But lastly, we'd love for you to share some cocktails with us, what's your favourite?

This post is in partnership with Shaken. Thank you for taking the time to support the projects + businesses that make this blog happen.

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