SACRED BY NATURE SACRED SPIRITS OF LONDON
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Sacred Spirits is a family-run distillery and multinational, multi-product drinks company based in London. Founded in 2008 by Ian Hart and Hilary Whitney, the brand has established a strong reputation in the UK, Europe, the US and the Far East for its award-winning gins, vodkas, whiskies, vermouths and aperitifs. Made using organically sourced botanicals, vacuum distilled by hand at their Highgate distillery, just a few yards from the famous cemetery, Sacred’s drinks are characterised by an unmistakable quality and inimitable flavour. This is the Sacred story.
IN T ROD UC T ION
THE ORIGIN
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During London’s infamous ‘Gin Craze’ of the 18th century there were over a thousand makeshift distilleries and gin shops dotted around the city. Since then, a new era of London gin-makers is bringing outstanding quality to the market. The Sacred Spirits distilleries, the first of which is located in Ian Hart’s home in Highgate, are the most unusual proponents of this renaissance, producing gins and more besides, with a passion and precision that is writing a new chapter for London’s liquid history.
Pink Grapefruit G&T Pour 50ml Sacred Pink Grapefruit Gin over ice and top up with Mediterranean tonic water. Garnish with a slice of red grapefruit and a sprig of rosemary.
IN T ROD UC T ION
THE GINESIS
—4 SPIRIT OF INVENTION Founder and Distiller Ian Hart grew up in the same house and leafy London suburb of Highgate where Sacred Spirits was born. He still lives and distils there with partner and co-founder Hilary Whitney. From an early age Ian was fascinated with chemistry, distilling whatever he could lay his hands on, eventually capping his formative education with a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge.
The Wrestlers Pub Highgate
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After briefly swapping alchemy for algorithms as a Wall Street trader, Ian began to explore his love of French wine with renewed purpose, vacuum distilling his collection of Bordeaux wines to create richer, more intense wines. He realised that some would consider this sacrilege, so made sure his next experiment was altogether more sacred.
RECIPE TWENTY THREE Having amassed a library of over 100 botanicals, distilled purely out of interest, Ian set about reinventing a liquid with origins much closer to home: gin. Poring over the famous botanical tome Hortus Indicus Malabaricus, he learned how to distil the botanicals most commonly associated with gin, along with a few more exotic choices. He then took the results – bottled by Hilary – to his local pub, The Wrestlers, where he was given unfiltered feedback from a few seasoned regulars. In late 2008 this ad hoc panel assured him that Recipe Twenty Three was the one. Publican Martin Harley wholeheartedly agreed with his punters and offered to sell it behind the bar.
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Containing a dozen botanicals including juniper, cardamom, pink grapefruit and frankincense, this first gin set the tone of what was to come: ingredients curated from far and wide and hand distilled in London. The inclusion of frankincense, known in Latin as Boswellia sacra, signalled Ian’s intention to create a unique liquid, characterised by depth of flavour and otherworldly aromas. It would also become the signature ingredient for all Sacred spirits. By name and by nature, this is the root of the Sacred Spirits brand.
The original gin Up close and botanical
IN T ROD UC T ION
SACRED BY NAME
The Sacred ingredient Boswellia sacra
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of frankincense. I just find it uplifting – a perfect resinous note that balances juniper and citrus.’ —Ian Hart
IN T ROD UC T ION
‘I love the fantastic fragrance
Sacred Martini As served by Alessandro Palazzi, Dukes Bar, London Coat the inside of a chilled glass with a few drops of Sacred English Dry Vermouth. Pour in 2 shots of Sacred Gin directly from the freezer. Take a lemon and pare long slice of zest, avoiding the pith. Hold it over the glass, pith side upwards and squeeze widthways so the surface of the drink is coated in oil. Rub the rim of the glass with the zest and place in the martini. Enjoy.
Organic English wormwood For Sacred English Vermouths
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Detail of Ian Hart’s original hand-sketched design for the Sacred Spirits distillery.
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Like most entrepreneurs, Ian and Hilary refused to follow the accepted norms of their industry when they started Sacred Spirits. Specifically, the idea that pot distillation was the best and only way to make gin. Recipe Twenty Three, the spirit that would become the award-winning Sacred Gin, was the catalyst proving that vacuum distilled spirits had genuine commercial appeal with the potential to disrupt the market. This, combined with their personal approach to sales and distribution, has sown the seeds for strong organic growth.
T H E ME T H OD
THE METHOD
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‘Vacuum distillation gives our liquid a unique taste and freshness as the and have not been affected by heat. Traditional distillation is great, but we wanted more control over the flavours we create. This is just the way we do things.’ —Ian Hart
T H E ME T H OD
botanicals are distilled separately
—14 PRECISION EN‘GIN’EERED
MADE BY HART
The Sacred Spirits distilleries are unique. The modular system, comprising pumps, silicone piping and quick-release fittings, has been designed by Ian to his exact specification with the bespoke glassware made by a glassblower in York.
The vacuum distillation process complements Ian’s precise, ingredientled approach to spirit-making perfectly, enabling him to distil botanicals individually with greater flexibility and control to achieve exceptional flavour profiles and combinations.
This setup gives the Sacred Spirits Distiller complete control over a small volume/high quality production process, adapting the apparatus to suit every distillation.
Each specimen from his organicallysourced library of wild and wonderful botanicals is first macerated in English wheat spirit for 4–6 weeks to achieve total extraction (100% of flavour and aroma). These rich extracts are then distilled separately, allowing Ian to experiment with multiple combinations of flavours. The result is an entirely unique liquid created from raw component botanicals that have maintained their integrity, flavour and aroma throughout distillation.
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Vacuum distillation, also known as cold distillation, occurs at a much lower temperature than pot distillation, leaving the ‘uncooked’ distillates lusher and fresher. (Think fresh cut oranges over the marmalade flavour of cooked ones). This is because the organic compounds that make up a plant’s essential oils – such as limonene, geraniol, pinene, eucalyptol and terpenoids such as citral and menthol – do not ‘stew’. Another key advantage of vacuum distillation is that botanicals are distilled individually stopping one element from absorbing the flavours and aromas of its neighbouring botanical and impacting the taste of the entire gin. To understand how this ‘negative activated carbon effect’ affects certain flavours and why Ian prefers to avoid it through separate vacuum distillation, imagine how the delicate citrus scent of lemon peel might be absorbed and overpowered by a cinnamon stick. Once that happens, nothing is sacred.
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T H E ME T H OD
VACUUM FACT S
T HE LONDON GIN RE V IVAL
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Sacred Gin was conceived in a vacuum but the Sacred Spirits brand certainly doesn’t exist in one. It lives and thrives in London, one of the most exciting centres for gastronomy and bar culture globally, and has played a key role in the city’s gin renaissance for the best part of a decade. Today, Sacred Spirits is still at the forefront of this revival.
T H E CON T E X T
THE CONTEXT
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Sacred Gin Our classic London Dry Gin. Sacred Organic Gin An organic version of our classic Sacred Gin with extra juniper berries and a higher abv – but the same lush, fresh flavour.
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Sacred Spirits’ classic London Dry Gin contains the botanical formula that launched nine exceptional gins. Each of the organically sourced botanicals is distilled under vacuum, which creates a fresh, creamy, beautifully balanced gin like no other. Not only was this the original recipe to win over regulars at The Wrestlers in Highgate, it has garnered numerous awards and industry accolades since its launch in 2009, including a Double Gold Medal Award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
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S ACR ED G INS
THE ORIGINAL GIN
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Sacred Gin Sacred Organic Gin Sacred Juniper Gin This juniper dominated gin is perfect for hardcore juniper lovers. Sacred Pink Grapefruit Gin Made using whole distilled organic Pink Grapefruit from Spain and Italy. Sacred Coriander Gin A dry, zesty, spicy gin with dominant notes of Indian coriander seed.
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Sacred Cardamom Gin An expression of the most aromatic spice, cardamom, made with organic green cardamom pods from Guatemala. Sacred Orris Gin Unlike any other gin on the market. Our classic recipe with over 90% organic Tuscan and Albanian Orris Root.
Sacred Old Tom Gin A higher abv, classic sweeter style – an essential ingredient in numerous cocktails, such as the Martinez. Sacred Christmas Pudding Gin Made by distilling whole Christmas Puddings according to Ian’s Great Aunt Nellie’s recipe.
Sacred Pink Grapefruit Gimlet Take two measures of Sacred Pink Grapefruit Gin, shake over ice with a measure of freshly squeezed lime juice and a half measure of sugar syrup. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a pared pink grapefruit zest.
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SACRED VODKA Vacuum distilled over charcoal, this wheat and rye-based organic vodka is everything one would expect coming from the Sacred Spirits stable. Fresh, invigorating and impressive as a standalone serve, Sacred Spirits vodka represents one small corner of England (well, Highgate) staking a bold claim on what has hitherto been foreign territory. Ian and Hilary have wisely opted for diplomacy, pulling off a major coup with the nearby Russian trade delegation on Highgate Hill. So impressed they’ve been with the quality of this spirited English Vodka, they are now regular customers. The rest, as they say, is исто́ рию.
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Sacred Organic Vodka An extremely pure blend of organic wheat and organic rye spirit.
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Sacred London Dry Vodka Made using the same method as Sacred Gin with seven botanicals including nutmeg, cubeb and frankincense. —25
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Sacred Bottle-Aged Negroni A blend of Sacred Gin, Sacred Rosehip Cup and Sacred English Spiced Vermouth, aged in glass bottles.
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The moment you realise the word ‘vermouth’ derives from ‘wormwood’, the logic behind the range of Sacred vermouths is clear. The French are renowned for lighter, dry vermouths; the Italians more for red, spicy vermouths, but all vermouths are defined by their botanicals. Ian knew the route to a quality English vermouth would be a straightforward one. Sacred Vermouths are made using organic wormwood sourced from a grower in Somerset and English wine from Three Choirs in Gloucestershire. Perfect on its own or as part of the holy trinity of gin, vermouth and bitters in the Sacred BottleAged Negroni, Sacred Vermouth is what you might call a quintessentially English aperitif.
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SACRED VERMOUTHS & APERITIFS
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Sacred Rosehip Cup Our bittersweet aperitif: a fruitier, less bitter English alternative to Campari. Sacred English Dry Vermouth A bone dry, spicy and herbal vermouth created in collaboration with Alessandro Palazzi from Dukes Hotel, SW1. Perfect for a dry martini.
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Sacred English Spiced Vermouth A rich, dark vermouth made with organic wormwood, thyme and English wine Sacred English Amber Vermouth A fruity, rich and floral vermouth, perfect to sip on its own or in a Vesper Martini.
Sacred Sloe Gin An original English classic dosed with extra juniper. Perfect neat in a hip flask or topped with English sparkling wine.
Sacred Negroni ‘A Negroni has the power, rare with drinks and indeed with anything else, of cheering you up.’ —Kingsley Amis
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Sacred Spirits is proud to call The Star Pub in Highgate its second home. The pub and distillery bar above it are a great destination, where Sacred Spirits are distilled, served & enjoyed.
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THE EXPERT ‘The first day Ian and Hilary came in, I have to be honest, I liked the personal touch and then, when they left me a bottle, I tasted it with some of my customers and we thought, “Wow!” Sacred were one of the first of the new distilleries and you made your product a little differently. As a bartender, I want to introduce people to something different to the usual gin and vodka you find on the market. Slowly I started introducing more craft products to our customers because not only do bartenders make drinks, we are also storytellers – it’s a great way to start talking to customers and Sacred has been my most successful story.’
Sacred Martini As served by Alessandro Palazzi at Dukes Bar, St James’, London.
T H E E XP ER T
Alessandro Palazzi, Dukes Bar
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To peat or not to peat – that is the burning question. Or rather it was as Ian pondered how to make the perfect whisky. Burning peat under malt produces a smoke with a unique aroma, the components of which adhere to the malt. These aromatic compounds are then carried through the distillation process into the spirit giving it a rich, smoky taste. So ‘to peat’ was clearly the answer. Sacred Spirits use a peated single malt spirit, produced in Norfolk, and aged for three years in ex-bourbon casks then finished for a further two years in London in Pedro Ximenez casks, hand-selected by Ian and Hilary from Bodegas Navarro in Montilla, Spain. Thus is created the first London Whisky.
Sacred Peated English Whisky Nutty and rich nuances give a truly deep and satisfying single malt. Log fire smoke from a country pub, sea salt, dried pineapple, clove spice, sweet vanilla and Christmas cake.
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END ORSEMEN T S
SACRED WHISKY
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In keeping with their knack of revitalising old drinks categories, Sacred Spirits is giving new life to the whisky liqueur. The Sacred Whisky Liqueur is made using English Whisky Liqueur aged in bourbon casks for three years, blended with sweet orange peels, vacuum-distilled cubeb and star anise. In terms of taste, rich toasted biscuit notes combine with fresh Spanish orange and spices from the Orient to give a warming zesty mouthfeel with great length on the palate.
Sacred English Whisky Liqueur Perfect on the rocks with a lemon twist as our version of an Old Fashioned.
S ACR E DS P IR I T S COMPA N Y. C O M
W H ISK Y
ENGLISH WHISKY LIQUEUR
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‘When you hold a bottle of Sacred and ambition that went into it.’ —Matt Teacher, The Spirit of Gin
T H E V ER DIC T
in your hands, you can feel the love
THE VERDICT
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‘Fabulous gin with exotic notes of cardamom, angelica, nutmeg and frankincense which are superb in a Martini.’ — Alice Lascelles, Ten Cocktails: The Art of Convivial Drinking
—Jamie Magazine
‘I love the gin — we have it in all our restaurants. What I love about Sacred is the story. Sacred is a very good example of a product that has oodles about it, there is a great deal of value added that comes with it.’ —Russell Norman, Proprietor of POLPO ‘One of our favourite gins of the moment, Sacred is a beautifully balanced gin…one of the best Martini gins we’ve had in ages.’ —Imbibe
‘A combination of frankincense and nutmeg gives this classy north London craft gin with an exotic, slightly spicy flavour. It works beautifully in a martini.’
‘Sacred stands out among the new breed of quality microdistillers.’ —The Thinking Drinkers, Time Out ‘Matchless gin.’ —Richard Godwin, The Evening Standard ‘…I really do think it is a very good product and I am delighted to see the seeds of re-birth of an authentic London gin.’ — Desmond Payne, Master Distiller of Beefeater Gin
Sacred Spirits Highgate, London +44 (0)20 7263 8293 www.sacredgin.com @SacredGin
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