Warner’s Gin is one of the most popular gins to join the food and drink industry in the last few years. They were the original Rhubarb gin creators and have transformed their business to a worldwide brand all in the heart of the Northamptonshire countryside. One of the many benefits of my role as Editor at Northampton Life magazine is that I get invited down to launches and events for local projects. This March I was invited down for the launch of the Northamptonshire Food and Drink awards 2019! Last year we were a media sponsor for the awards so we were pleased to join them in the start of this years proceedings.
This event was hosted at Warner’s Gin Distillery based in the Northamptonshire village of Harrington. This village is small but mighty with its gin distillery and local pub and restaurant The Tollemarche. We were lucky enough to experience the tour of the distillery to see what went on and the science behind their infamous gins. If you love gin and live nearby to Northamptonshire, this is worth a visit…
What is Warner’s Gin?
You probably recognise the bottle but know them as Warner Edwards. In 2019 they have embraced a slight rebrand and now will be known as ‘Warner’s. The business is run by husband and wife team, Tom and Tina with their fifty wide employees who all have their part in the gin family. The distillery is found at Falls Farm which spans over a large site where they can grow their botanicals and produce. Started in 2012 on the family farm the gin has now become the second best selling item at Heathrow airport, after Chanel No5!
Why should you experience the tour?
The tour is a must for ultimate gin lovers. Even those who may not like gin and take their other half will discover a gin that suits their tastes. I am actually a fruit gin fan but dislike dry gin. I also dislike tonic but I love having gin with lemonade. On the tour you naturally get to try a tipple or two. We were given the rhubarb gin with ginger ale which was DELICIOUS and now something I want to re-create at home.
They have various gins in the collection including lemon balm, Melissa, raspberry, and some limited editions. I currently have a bottle of the honeybee on the go which is delicious. The tour allows you learn about the process of creating gin and finding the perfect new taste to each of their creations. Its so interesting to hear it from those who actually muck in and make the gins too.
Warner’s is really passionate about creating everything locally. They create a lot of items on site but look to be as sustainable and clever with their creations as possible and you can see the real heart and soul that goes into the business. It’s not a pretentious business, no stuffiness about it.
If you love gin, or even if you’re not a gin fan, you should give this tour a go. You’ll learn a lot, try a lot and experience what real gin with passion should taste like. As a Northamptonshire blogger & editor I love exploring local area and food and drink places.
There are two tours available but the obvious starter is the Curiosity tour. This includes a G&T on arrival and a real experience from the working farm. It lasts 1 hour to an hour and a half. Each ticket costs £25 each but includes a £5 voucher for use to purchase your own bottle at the end, I can guarantee you’ll want to take some home with you.