Named not for the TV show but the ancient manor house on which it is distilled, Downton Distillery’s Explorer's Gin is a tribute to the Golden Era of exploring, when exotic ingredients were brought back to England’s green hills.
Named not for the TV show but the ancient manor house on which it is distilled, Downton Distillery’s Explorer's Gin is a tribute to the Golden Era of exploring, when exotic ingredients were brought back to England’s green hills.
Juniper positively sings its way out of the bottle, flanked by a bright, zesty grapefruit and that HUGE cedar note. Szechuan pepper and Pink peppercorn bring a bright spice. We’d serve with a grapefruit garnish in a G&T!
"Bold, daring and adventurous in all the right ways the cedar is such a standout flavour in the glass that it grabs the attention each and every time. Add to that the beautiful design and Explorer's Gin is a perfect gift that's sure to impress."
With an amazing blend of exotic (Szechuan pepper) and homespun (Western Red Cedar), Downton Explorer’s Gin follows a sensitive distillation process, with heavier botanicals macerated for 14 hours and lighter ingredients distilled in a vapour basket.
Downton Manor is in the care of Charles and Francesca Andrews, who got hold of the crumbling estate a decade ago and dedicated their lives to it. The Distillery, however, is run by their friend, Hugh Anderson, although it’s something of a team sport.
Based in Wiltshire's Avon Valley, their rural location belies just how globally minded the place is. The former home of Sir Walter Raleigh, it's a somewhere that paradoxically makes you look to the adventure beyond the horizon.