The Spirit of History

The Spirit of History: The Story of Pinnock Distillery

Every great spirit begins with a story, but few are as deeply intertwined with history as the tale of Pinnock Distillery. Named after Pinnock Cottages, this exceptional venture started in the humble surroundings of Dan Beckett’s kitchen – the founder of Pinnock gin. By 2018, it had not only launched but achieved remarkable acclaim, being recognized as one of the top three gins made in the UK that year. Yet, to truly understand the essence of Pinnock Distillery, one must travel back centuries, to a time of civil war, medicinal waters, and the very birth of gin itself.

Strong Waters and Royal Prescriptions

The soul of Pinnock Distillery’s recipe dates back to 1625, drawing inspiration from the medical practices of the era. The key figure in this historical connection is Sir Thomas, a physician to King Charles I. During the turbulent times of the English Civil War, particularly around the famous Battle of Edge Hill in 1642, Sir Thomas was known for his “strong waters”—distilled alcoholic drinks infused with botanicals, prescribed as medicines to treat various ailments.

Today, Pinnock Distillery brings these ancient recipes into the modern era. The distillery is now housed in Radway tower (The Castle at Edgehill), overlooking the very site of the King’s famous battle of Edgehill. We have taken the foundational concept of those 17th-century strong waters and refined it, creating a gin that honours its medicinal roots while delivering a complex, contemporary flavour profile.

The Evolution of Gin: From Holland to London

While the foundations of gin and the art of distilling are widely believed to have originated in Holland (with the creation of jenever), the clear, refined spirit that evolved from those humble beginnings is very much considered to be born in London.

The history of gin in England is a tumultuous one. In the 1600s and 1700s, during what became known as the “Gin Craze,” gin acts were designed to help manage the rapidly growing population and the societal issues that arose from mass, unregulated consumption. The infamous Gin Act of 1751 was a major attempt to curb the chaos caused by cheap, dangerous spirits.

However, legislation often hindered the craft. The Excise Act of 1823 was designed to stop back-street distillers, who were considered a menace and a cause of significant societal issues, by strictly regulating distillation. While it helped professionalize the industry, it also mandated large minimum still sizes (often 18 hectolitres), effectively outlawing small batch, artisanal production for nearly two centuries. It wasn’t until our recent history that we saw what was dubbed the “Ginaissance” or the gin resurgence. This was made possible because in 2008, pioneering brands like Sipsmith and Chase Gin successfully lobbied the UK government to change these archaic laws. Their victory allowed for distillation in smaller quantities once again, paving the way for passionate craft distillers like Dan to launch Pinnock Distillery.

The Craft and the Copper

At Pinnock Distillery, there is a genuine belief that producing gin in small quantities is the key to maintaining absolute consistency and perfecting the finest details. The heart of our operation is a handcrafted -litre copper still. In the world of distillation, copper is king. The more the gin interacts with the copper during the distillation process, the smoother the final spirit will be, as the copper helps to strip away harsh, unwanted sulphur compounds. To further enhance the drinking experience, Pinnock uses a unique addition rarely found in gin production: honey. This natural touch does not necessarily make the gin sweet, but rather it significantly improves the mouthfeel, giving the spirit a luxurious, velvety texture.

The Gold Standard of Botanicals

A gin is only as good as its botanicals, and at the core of any true gin is juniper. Interestingly, the juniper “berry” isn’t actually a berry at all. When viewed under a microscope, it is revealed to be a female seed cone, closely related to the pinecone, with unusually fleshy and merged scales. Cultivating juniper is a notoriously difficult and patient process. The plant takes nearly seven to ten years to fully develop and is highly susceptible to fungal diseases. Because of these challenges, sourcing the highest quality juniper is paramount. Pinnock Distillery looks to Italy, which is widely recognized as the gold standard for producing the finest juniper berries in the world, ensuring their gin possesses that quintessential, robust piney flavour.

The Perfect Serve

A meticulously crafted gin deserves an equally thoughtful pairing. For Pinnock Gin, the perfect companion is Double Dutch tonic water. Double Dutch is specifically chosen to bring out the Seville orange flavour profile within the gin. Unlike some tonics that can overpower a delicate spirit, Double Dutch features bubbles that are softer than other tonic waters. Furthermore, the balance of quinine is precisely calibrated so that it complements the gin’s intricate botanicals rather than masking or covering them up. From a 17th-century physician’s strong waters to an award-winning modern spirit crafted on a historic battlefield, Pinnock Distillery is a testament to the enduring legacy of English distilling. It is a story poured into every glass—a perfect blend of history, craftsmanship, and exceptional taste.