What is it?

Gin started life as genever, a grain spirit flavoured with juniper and other herbs and spices, made in Holland and Belgium from the 15th century onwards. A grain neutral spirit is redistilled together with the natural flavourings known as botanicals to make up a gin’s unique recipe.

A distillation takes around seven to eight hours to complete, with the first and last parts of the run (the foreshots and feints) discarded as they contain unwanted flavours. The decision to divert the liquid into the spirit receiver is called “making the middle cut” and is a crucial part of the recipe.