The Cotswolds Distillery

FROM AMAZING GIN, TO DELICIOUS WHISKY DANIEL SZOR IS COMMITTED TO MAKING ‘OUTSTANDING NATURAL SPIRITS’.

DAN CAME TO THE RURAL COTSWOLDS several years ago from London to spend relaxing weekends with his wife Katia and daughter Emily.

What started out as a weekend love affair with the area soon turned into a passion, and Dan and his family decided to buy an old converted farmhouse in the North Cotswolds. Dan too was looking for his next challenge after his 30-year career in finance, and wanted to create something worthwhile and make a difference in the community.

A long-time lover and student of whisky, it was one fine day that Dan was looking out of his window at the glorious countryside around him, and after a few aimless seconds, he started to take in the fields of barley before his eyes and the idea of starting a distillery in the Cotswolds was born.

Situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB established in 1966), the Cotswolds was the perfect place for Dan to establish his distillery – especially given that the region is known for its bountiful growth of barley.

The Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky will be the first of its kind to be made in the area; ready in the autumn of 2017, - after the mandatory three-year aging period – with almost 2000 bottles of the 5000 limited release 2013 harvest, Organic Odyssey already sold.

Always part of the plan and first distilled in October 2014, Dan enlisted the help of a local botanist and with his distillery team created a wonderful London Dry Gin. First making single distillations of over 53 different botanicals then trying different combinations and styles, whittling them down and finally submitting the last 3 recipes to a tasting panel at Campden BRI to make the final choice and the wonderful Gin we know today.

Cotswolds Dry Gin is made by the maceration into pure wheat spirit of Juniper, Coriander and Angelica Root for 12 hours in our bespoke Holstein Copper Pot still to allow their flavour characteristics to fully infuse.

The following day a unique botanical mix of Cotswolds grown Lavender, Bay Leaf, freshly hand-peeled Grapefruit and Lime Peel, Black Pepper and Cardamom Seed are added into the still for distillation with naturally refined Cotswolds water. Distilled in small batches the distillations are combined and rested for 7 days before dilution to 46% ABV and bottling.

SO WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT COTSWOLDS GIN?

Well, for starters it is made in a real full scale Craft Distillery in the Cotswolds, secondly a far greater quantity of botanicals than most other gins are used in the recipe giving it real depth and complexity and resulting in an extremely aromatic and characterful spirit, and finally it is non-chill filtered in the traditions of great whisky making, so it ‘louches’ a little when chilled. It is a classic London Dry Gin with a Cotswolds Twist and is the perfect gin for a characterful and aromatic a Gin & Tonic or a smooth luxurious Martini.

Listed in more than 12 countries, Dan and his team are very excited about the launch of Cotswolds Gin in Australia – so keep an eye out for this complex, rich and wonderful spirit! ❧