Wessex Distillery London Dry Gin, 41.3% ABV, 70cl

Product Information

We love it in a gin and tonic,” says Jonathan. “Apple and juniper are delicious, or a twist of orange zest.” Often overlooked in favour of the dramatic Tudors, the controversial Victorians and the allure of the Swinging Sixties, the Anglo-Saxon era was one of the most important in English history – though, in fact, it was before there was even an England at all! But all good things must come to an end, and after 40 years in the City of London, Jonathan decided it was time to move on. But the quiet life of post-retirement didn’t entirely appeal.

We wanted to create a well-balanced, smooth, traditional craft gin. Our no-fuss approach highlights the pure quality of our distillation method and allows the juniper flavour to be the focus. Based in the Wessex countryside, our family-run local distillery strives to create heavenly, premium gin. Wessex Distillery’s Alfred the Great Gin is a citrus-led gin – a nod to Jonathan’s palate – and the supporting botanicals have been selected to pay tribute to its namesake. This includes the classic gin botanical of juniper, which is notable in this spirit for its power.

A tour of Wessex Distillery

Or, try a negroni, equal measures of Alfred the Great gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Finally, top with a twist of orange. Tasting Notes: Taste England’s best sloe gin for a pleasantly sweet, earthy flavour with subtle hints of almond. Our craft gin has a high quality, light, refreshing palate. It was intoxicating stuff. As Jonathan says, “With its fascinating history, myths and stories, the idea of Wessex caught the imagination.” If you’re a London dry gin lover, then this gin is for you. The smoothness of this gin despite the increased ABV is something the judges particularly enjoyed. This is due to the importance we place on creating a high quality craft gin throughout the distillation process. I nfused for 12 hours prior to distillation in our local copper still, our classic gin botanicals are well-balanced and premium quality. Inspired by this ancient text and awed by King Alfred the Great’s incredible journey, one master distiller set out to craft a gin that would pay tribute to this great man’s life and his turbulent times.

Wyvern's Classic Gin is a premium London Dry Gin. Considered among the best of the best, our gin has been awarded Gold outstanding at the International Wines & Spirits Competition , and Gold at the Gin Masters & London Spirits Competition 2020. So it’s safe to say this is an award-winning gin!It doesn’t stand out as a distinct flavour,” says Jonathan of chervil, “but we think it adds something to the taste of juniper.” Located half way between Haslemere and Godalming in the heart of the Surrey Hills,Wessex Distillery has been crafting gin since 2017. A family run business, this craft distillerystrives to create the best English gin. Open to visitors you can enjoy a gin distillery tour,which will takeyou step by step through the distillation process, so you can learn how we make the best British craft gin in the UK. Indeed, City of London Distillery made quite a name for itself as the craft gin industry boomed, winning awards all over the world. The success suited the perfectionist in Jonathan, and he worked hard to fine tune and expand the City of London Distillery range. In September 2018, his Six Bells Gin was even selected as our Gin of the Month! With City of London Distillery, we very much enjoyed the benefits of being connected to a geographical location,” Jonathan says. “When we were thinking about this new distillery, we wanted the same connection.” Many gin fans will already be familiar with the distiller of whom we speak. After all, he was the man behind another Craft Gin Club gin – albeit under a completely different brand.

Tasting Notes: Our exceptionally smooth premium gin is precisely balanced, with a strong initial thump of juniper, followed by enlightening coriander and lively citrus endnotes. In this oft-overlooked historical era, folk wisdom and fervent religion made sense of the chaos and pain of a war-torn world. It was a time of hopes and prayers, spells and enchantments, potions and alchemy, where the bounty of England’s forests and fields could mean the difference between life and death – and the Anglo-Saxons documented all their hard-earned herbal remedies in an ancient text called the Herbarium.

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It took one incredible king to bring these kingdoms together and vanquish the Viking threat: Alfred the Great. An unlikely war hero, with crippling stomach problems but an unparalleled intellect, Alfred lived in a world where magic, mystery and medicine were all rolled into one. When Jonathan and his wife, Gill decided to start up a brand new distillery, a passion project just for them and their amazing family to run together, they wanted to make sure that they were taking what they’d learned from their first go around and applying it in a new way. They started looking into their new home and, being England, there were many thousands of years to explore. But one historical era in particular stayed with them: Anglo-Saxon Britain. As Jonathan says, “Alfred battled the Vikings throughout his entire reign, and this is reflected in the big thump of piney juniper.” Alternatively, try a Charlie Chaplin; Add equal measures of Wessex Distillery’s English sloe gin, apricot brandy, and lime juice. Shake, strain, then garnish with lime peel.