HOST WITH THE

58 | Gin

Hosts with the most

Whether it’s a Scottish barn on a remote island or a bespoke angular new-build, the look and feel of gin visitor centres is crucial in bolstering a brand’s identity

Written by Geraldine Coates

or spirits enthusiasts there are few things as enjoyable as a leisurely afternoon pottering around a distillery learning all there is to know about your favourite brand.

However, it’s only in the last ten years that gin lovers have had this option widely available. Back in gin’s dark days most big brands were making a virtue out of secrecy. In fact Plymouth Gin, who pioneered the telling of the brand story, were the only notable exception. They shone a light on their famous product’s mysteries, and what a story to tell – the oldest gin distillery in the UK, a fantastic location in the heart of historic Plymouth, a long association with the Royal Navy and even a special EU law that prevented any other gin calling itself Plymouth (since abrogated).

Their distillery opened to the public in 1985. ‘In the early days we were very much about promoting gin as a category itself and getting

Fpeople to understand what gin is about,’ says Master Distiller Sean Harrison. ‘Our location has always been important in attracting tourists looking for something to do but nowadays people are coming to Plymouth to visit the distillery. We’ve become the destination.’ In October 2014 the gin distillery visitor experience was taken to a whole new level when the Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Laverstoke in Hampshire hosted a glittering event to celebrate its opening. I was very happy to be there as I had worked on the project for months, watching this spectacular venue rise from the ruins of a former paper mill that made banknotes for countries around the world. No expense had been spared and, despite Bacardi’s shyness around actual figures, there’s no question many millions were involved. You can certainly see where the money went from the Thomas Heatherwick-designed glasshouses to the state of the art green energy technology.

‘Not only has Laverstoke completely changed people’s perceptions of Bombay Sapphire, it’s become an absolute hub of innovation,’ says Senior Ambassador Sam Carter. ‘We’ve got a captive consumer research group in the 100,000 visitors who come every year so we can experiment more and try new things like our latest Premier Cru expression, as well as small limited edition bottlings and new cocktail recipes. Laverstoke is constantly evolving so there’s always something new to come back for.’

How different from when Bombay Sapphire How different from when Bombay Sapphire was distilled by Greenall’s in Warrington and rather looked down on by the snootier, cool bartenders...

Not all gin distillers have Bacardi’s deep pockets but what is interesting now is to realise the extent to which the distillery visitor centre has become a crucial part of a gin brand’s personality and outreach, whether gin brand’s personality and outreach, whether you’re in a gorgeous bespoke building or in a barn on a remote Scottish island. In fact the diversity is important, because each brand is different and a brand home should refl ect that. different and a brand home should refl ect that.

In many ways the gin community learned the benefi ts of throwing open the distillery doors from their whisky counterparts. It’s all been part of the ongoing drive to reposition gin as a fi ne spirit with a history of craftsmanship and create a sense of connoisseurship around premium gin. Tastings, tours, masterclasses and gin making sessions feed consumers’ thirst for knowledge whilst a tutor-led focus on each gin’s botanical recipe is the ideal way to promote each individual brand’s distinctive fl avour. It’s not rocket science.

Having your own distillery and shouting about it is an important way of communicating core values of provenance and authenticity. Perhaps unfairly many gins that are made by a third party distiller are perceived as inferior and (note to some Scottish gins) they certainly can’t claim that their location makes them special.

From top left: Plymouth Gin distillery; Bombay gin visitor centre bar; Bombay Gin glasshouse; Oro gin and rum centre; Darnley’s Gin; Kingsbarns Distillery opened in 2014.

The Wemyss’ family-owned Darnley’s Gin (www.darnleysgin.com) is another brand that made the leap from third party production to invest in its own purpose built distillery. Kingsbarns Distillery opened in 2014 to produce Wemyss Malts in-house. Distillation of Darnley’s Gin was then transferred from London to a converted cottage behind the main distillery, with a Visitor Centre and Gin School built alongside. There’s also a pop-up Gin Experience in Edinburgh where you can make your own gin.

Kingsbarns Distillery is now one of the top attractions in the East Neuk of Fife with the Darnley’s Gin Cottage alone attracting around 10,000 visitors a year. But more importantly, as brand owner William Wemyss says:

‘Hosting people here is the ideal way to engage directly with consumers. Provenance is such a big issue now and here people can see how our gin is made and experiment with the botanicals we grow here to make their own gin. The gin market is very competitive so building brand loyalty through this type of experience is logical. It’s a huge asset.’

Every bottle of gin sold in a distillery gift shop is worth 2.6 times more to brands because they are quite literally cutting out the middleman. So, embracing an open doors policy from the start makes commercial sense, particularly if you’re in a remote and scenic location.

The Clynick family always envisaged a visitor centre when they bought a tumble down former pottery just outside Dalton in the wilds of Dumfries and Galloway and created The Oro Distillery, where they produce a range of awardwinning Oro gins and Oro rum. Ray Clynick, head distiller and former scientist, is emphatic: ‘We always wanted to be a destination that people would want to come to, not a factory unit. We have a really broad food and drink offering here and our bar has become the equivalent of the local pub. We’re always busy.’

There’s constant experimentation here too and Ray and his team took advantage of lockdown to create a range of over one hundred bottled cocktails that are available online and in the distillery shop. (www.orogin.co.uk)

It’s no wonder that the gin visitor centre sector boomed prepandemic but is now poised to get back to where it was as restrictions lift.

Most consumer surveys tell us that people value experiences far more than things, particularly if they are able to learn something new. Visiting a gin distillery ticks all the boxes: it’s a fun day out, it’s perfect for a celebration, and it’s the ideal way to entertain clients.

Distillers are invariably hospitable and interesting people, whilst gin drinkers tend to be curious and willing to experiment.

In my humble opinion, that’s a match made in heaven.

GIN DISTILLERY VISITOR CENTRES

There are over 300 gin distilleries the length and breadth of the UK and at least a third of them have visitor centres. In London Beefeater, Hayman’s and Sipsmith have stunning visitor facilities. Here are some Scottish favourites:

Pickerings Gin, Summerhall, Edinburgh – tastings and tours bookable at www.pickeringsgin.com

Lussa Gin, Ardlussa, Isle of Jura, Argyll. Tours are available by appointment only, Monday to Friday 11.30am and 2.30pm. www.lussagin.com

Bruichladdich Distillery, Isle of Islay, Argyll – home of The Botanist Gin – www.bruichladdich.com Gin tours run daily at 1pm.

Caorunn Gin, Balmenach Distillery, Grantown-on-Spey. Tours bookable at www.caorunngin.com

Shetland Reel Gin, Saxa Vord, Unst, Shetland the most northerly distillery in the UK – open during the summer months, bookable at www.shetlandreel.com

The Borders Distillery, Hawick, Scottish Borders – www.thebordersdistillery.com Tours every day, must be booked.