50 Highgate High St, London N6 5HX, UK
Sacred Gin Impressive Attractive Spirits
THE ORIGIN OF SACRED SPIRITS
How this small Highgate distillery took vacuum distillation to the world.
During the 18th century there were over a thousand makeshift distilleries dotted around the city: London was the unofficial gin capital of the world. As its popularity grew so too did its unregulated production. Needless to say, quality wasn’t a defining factor of the gin being produced and the ‘Gin Craze’ became a rather forgettable chapter in London’s liquid history.
THE GINESIS
Sacred Spirits was founded in 2008 when Londoner and distiller Ian Hart decided to reframe the city connection with small batch gin distillation in a more positive light.
This time the onus was on quality. Instead of using traditional pot distillation, Ian opted for vacuum distillation as a way to preserve the richness of flavour and aromas of his hand-picked botanicals. A new era of London gin production was beginning…
THE SPIRIT OF INNOVATION
Ian Hart grew up in the same house in Highgate where Sacred Spirits was eventually born (and where he and partner Hilary Whitney are distilling to this day). Naturally curious and fascinated with science and distillation from an early age, Ian would eventually gain a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge.
After briefly swapping alchemy for algorithms as a Wall Street trader, Ian was drawn back to chemistry through his love of wine. He started off experimenting with his own collection, vacuum distilling fine Bordeaux wines to create richer, more intense variations. He then moved onto gin, teaching himself how to distil traditional gin botanicals as well as more exotic specimens.
‘When you hold a bottle of Sacred in your hands, you can feel the love and ambition that went into it.’
HANDMADE AND HANDCRAFTED
The Sacred Spirits distilleries are unique as they are designed by Ian to his exact specification. The setup, complete with bespoke handblown glassware from York, gives him complete control over a small volume/high quality production process, enabling him to adapt the delicate apparatus to suit every distillation.
The handling of ingredients is equally important. Each specimen from Ian’s organically-sourced library of botanicals is macerated in English wheat spirit for 4–6 weeks to achieve total extraction (100% of flavour and aroma). These rich extracts are then distilled separately, allowing Ian to experiment with multiple combinations of flavours, before blending to make a Sacred Spirit.
BOTANICALLY INSPIRED
Ian’s first London Dry Gin contained a dozen botanicals, including juniper, cardamom, nutmeg, and frankincense, and set the tone for every future Sacred Spirits expression. The inclusion of frankincense, Boswellia sacra in Latin, signalled Ian’s intention to create unique spirits, characterised by depth of flavour and otherworldly aromas. It also gave the brand its name.
KEEP DRINKING SACRED
Sacred Spirits can be enjoyed in independent bars, pubs, restaurants and hotels up and down the UK and overseas – keep an eye out for our distinctive bottles, the original Pink Grapefruit G&T, The Complete English Negroni and the Rosehip Spritz!
SACRED GIN
70cl 40% abv
Regular price £33.85
Description
Our classic London Dry Gin. Each of the organically sourced botanicals is distilled under vacuum to create a fresh, creamy, beautifully balanced gin like no other. Made with fresh cut organic Spanish & Italian Pink Grapefruit, Sweet Orange, Lemon & Lime, perfectly offset by Tuscan & Bulgarian Juniper, Angelica & Orris Root and rounded off by subtle Cinnamon & Frankincense (Boswellia Sacra) from the Sultan of Oman.
Awards & Reviews
Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 2013. Overall Winner at The Gin Masters, 2010. Best Gin for Tonic, Craft Distillers’ Association, 2014. Palate Pleaser Award, Harrods 2011.
SACRED PINK GRAPEFRUIT GIN
70cl 43.8% abv
Regular price £34.85
Description
Fresh cut Spanish & Italian Pink Grapefruit shines in this vibrant and zesty gin. Perfect for a G&T in the sun, or for a citrussy twist on a classic cocktail.
Awards & Reviews
Winner of the Vancouver International Spirits Competition, 2016. One of London’s Best Gins, Time Out 2016.
SACRED CARDAMOM GIN
70cl 43.8% abv
Regular price £34.85
Description
An exuberant expression of the most aromatic of spices, Organic Green Cardamom Pods – a beautifully fragrant gin.
Perfect with high quality Indian tonic water, as a twist on classic gin cocktails such as Espresso Martinis or mixed with ginger beer.
Awards & Reviews
Gold Medal at the San Diego Spirits Festival, 2016
SACRED OLD TOM GIN
70cl 48% abv
Regular price £36.85
Description
Our high-strength interpretation of the 18th-century staple, with bold notes of Juniper & naturally sweet Liquorice Root, alongside a modern flourish of vacuum-distilled Spanish Sweet Orange Peels, which accentuate this classic sweeter gin.
World’s Best Old Tom Gin, World Gin Awards 2019
Note, this is a natural product with a high proportion of distilled Liquorice, which usually throws a fine white sediment – this is completely harmless and does not affect drinking quality.
SACRED BOTTLE-AGED NEGRONI
70cl 28.8% abv
Regular price £32.45
Description
We have taken each ingredient from the classic Negroni cocktail and developed the very best all-natural English equivalents to make The Complete English Negroni. Equal parts of our classic Sacred Gin, Rosehip Cup & English Spiced Vermouth, combined in the bottle to allow the ingredients to marry. Perfect straight from the fridge over ice with a slice of orange, great to take to parties, picnics or wrap up as a present for a cocktail lover.
SACRED ORGANIC SLOE GIN
70cl 28.8% abv
Regular price £38.85
Description
An original English classic, made with organic sloes, rested in Sacred Gin for two and a half years (a very long time!), before being dosed with an extra kick of juniper right before bottling. Rich and fruity, with an unusual Juniper-piney backbone, this is perfect with sparkling wine, or in a hip flask.
SACRED ORGANIC GIN
70cl 48% abv
Regular price £36.85
Description
An organic version of our classic Sacred Gin with extra juniper berries and a higher abv – but the same lush, fresh flavour and mouthfeel.
SACRED JUNIPER GIN
70cl 43.8% abv
Regular price £38.85
Description
Truly a gin for all Juniper lovers, this has about as much Juniper as you can squeeze into a bottle. This gives the character of freshly crushed dark green pine needles on the palate, set against a background of mountainside Juniper.
Awards & Reviews
Rated 5+/5, Difford’s Guide
SACRED CORIANDER GIN
70cl 43.8% abv
Regular price £38.85
Description
A dry, citrus spice leads this gin, made with vacuum distilled Indian Coriander Seeds. This gives a combination of crushed black peppercorns and Amalfi lemon zest on the palate.
Awards & Reviews
One of the top 2 Gins for Tonic, Craft Distillers’ Association, 2014 (with our classic Sacred Gin!)
SACRED ORRIS GIN
70cl 43.8% abv
Regular price £38.85
Description
Made with Tuscan Orris, the root of the Iris flower, this light and subtle gin expresses a florality strongly reminiscent of the colour purple.
May 26, 2022
5 MINUTES WITH: SARAH WESTON FROM ORGANIC HERB TRADING
To mark World Aperitivo Day on 26 May, we talked to Sarah Weston, Herb Field Manager at the Organic Herb Trading, who is responsible for growing all the organic wormwood, thyme and savory that contributes to the deliciousness of Sacred’s world beating English vermouths!
Somewhat serendipitously, Sarah worked in off-licences for many years before she embarked on a career in horticulture but she is now a committed organic grower with a wealth of experience.
She has worked on a biodynamic research farm in Northern India, helped organic gardening expert Jekka McVicar and her team to win gold medals across the country – including at the Chelsea Flower Show – and grown vegetables on an organic farm just outside Bristol.
Her expertise ranges from plant propagation to the medicinal qualities of herbs and spices. “Organic is very important to me,” she says. “Every growing job I’ve had has been for a certified organic organisation. Of course, Sacred also focuses heavily on organic sourcing and produces Sacred Organic Gin, Sacred Organic Vodka and Sacred Organic Sloe Gin.
“When I was a child I had a small flower bed but I didn’t become really passionate about growing things until I was in my twenties and there was a garden with the house I rented. I just got really into it and that’s where it all started. My first growing job was in a nursery and I’ve mainly learnt on the job. I have done an RHS course but I definitely find learning on the job much easier. I’m not very good at sitting in a classroom and learning about plants, I’d much rather be actually doing it.”
The Organic Herb Trading grows, sources and supplies a range of high-quality botanicals for a diverse range of customers from herbal tea companies to food manufacturers and medicinal markets. Many of the herbs are sourced from all over the world and herb field is just a small – two acres, in fact – part of the organisation, but it’s still very important.
“We grow about 60 different medicinal herbs so although we don’t get huge harvests of each herb, the biodiversity in the field is fantastic, “explains Sarah. “As we don’t use chemicals. We leave nature to do the pest control for us.
When we get aphid, I know that pretty quickly the ladybirds will sort it out and we have a healthy population of frogs, toads and slow worms plus rescue hedgehogs and Indian runner ducks on slug patrol! Sometimes it’s difficult to harvest a crop as it will be buzzing with bees, hoverflies and butterflies but for me, growing organically means growing alongside nature, not trying to control or destroy it.
“Another reason it’s good that we have the herb field here and are growing crops is that it helps us to understand our suppliers. For example, if they experience crop failure or torrential rain, we know what that’s like and we can be realistic about what to expect – and sympathise!”
Wormwood is key to making vermouth – any drink calling itself vermouth must be wine based and contain wormwood – and initially Sacred was the only customer for Sarah’s very first crop of this bitter herb. However, as vermouth has become increasingly popular, Sarah notes that there has been a significant increase in demand. “The main customers for the herb field are now distillers. The other customer categories are tincture makers and animal feed.”
Whilst Sarah is clearly committed to working organically, it does have its problems. “It’s quite difficult to source organic seed, particularly for the medicinal herbs like wormwood so we end up saving most of our own seeds.
I actually prefer sowing the seeds we save from here as the plants get used to the field and our particular climate – most varieties tend to do better if they are grown in the area they are bred.
I have worked with cuttings but another advantage of growing from seed is that I sow into module trays so can keep them properly watered, not overly watered or dry and plant them out when they have a good root ball.
“We have one small propagation tunnel here which is filled up with seed trays in the spring. Most of what we grow are perennials so with some of the herbs we don’t get much of a harvest in the first year but, going forward, as most of the medicinal herbs like wormwood are very generous, we do get more than one cut a year from most things and it can be up to 6 cuts a year.”
In fact, once it’s been planted out, the main problem is rabbits. “It’s a complete nightmare! I don’t really understand it because wormwood is incredibly bitter, but they really like it. They must have built up an amazing tolerance.”
Sarah also grows savory and thyme for Sacred. “We only grow a small amount of savory but thyme, like all the Mediterranean herbs, is incredibly popular.
It does really well here as the beds are situated on a south-facing slope so it’s nice and hot, which is great for the herbs – but not so good for the workers!”
At Ian’s request, all the herbs Sarah grows for Sacred are harvested just as they are coming into bud when they at their most fragrant, which adds to the complexity of the final drink.
It’s producers and relationships like this that gives Sacred access to the very best ingredients and botanicals on offer – Sarah’s wormwood is integral to the production of the World’s Best Vermouth!
December 13, 2022
SACRED IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT IT IS OFFICIALLY B CORP CERTIFIED!
We are thrilled to announce that we have joined the #BCorp movement, joining 26 other inspiring distilleries around the world.
So what is B Corp and how did we get certified?
B Corp is a certification awarded to companies who have an exceptional commitment to environmental and social responsibility.
“Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standard of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.” B Corp
This is judged by completing an extensive audit of company practices and improvements which we have been working towards for nearly two years, finally completing with 93.6 points. To put this in perspective, to achieve B Corp status, a company must score 80 points on B Corp’s Impact Assessment and most companies in the UK rank at 40-50 points – to find out more about how we scored click – here.
The audit covers five key areas of company operations.
(1) Governance – We have made a legal commitment by amending our Articles of Association to be responsible not just for profit but also for our social and environmental impact.
(2) Workers – We are a National Living Wage accredited employer with a very high proportion of female staff and management and encourage our staff to pursue career development. We also recruit blind which means that all names and identifiers of background are removed from CVs before candidates are selected to be interviewed, ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity of employment with Sacred.
(3) Community – We are well-known for actively engaging with our North London community, participating in and contributing to local events and charities.
(4) Environmental – This is by far the most heavily weighted section in the assessment – and the one in which we scored the most marks. For example, our method of distilling – via vacuum distillation – uses 90% less energy than a traditional pot still.
We designed an innovative closed-loop condensation water circulator which reduces the amount of water we use by 120,000 litres a year and in 2021 our distillery and shops sent zero waste to landfill. The packaging used to wrap every purchase from our online store is protective, plastic free, fully recyclable and we offset every gram of CO₂ emission produced by deliveries to online customers.
We are assessed to the very highest standards of traceability by the Soil Association and continue to actively seek ways to reduce our footprint whenever possible.
(5) Customers – From our largest trade customers to first-time consumers in our shops, we strive to give each and every one the opportunity to engage with us directly, giving us invaluable feedback which influences our product and service development.
In November 2022, B Corp celebrated its 1000th UK B Corp. We are proud to join a community of over 5000 companies worldwide, all committed to improving and upholding the very highest standards of responsibility to the environment and society.
We couldn’t have done it without our customers’ incredible support, so thank you to everyone who has helped us on the way!
July 12, 2022
EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF GIN WITH SACRED
Gin arguably has one the most colourful stories in British history – although obviously at Sacred, our story is crystal clear!
Genever to Gin
In the 16th century, the Dutch began producing a spirit called ‘genever’: a distilled malt wine base with plenty juniper berries (and other herbs) to mask the harsh flavour – these were added to bring a medicinal quality to the drink. In the Anglo-Dutch wars of the 17th Century, the Dutch soldiers were rumoured by the Brits to be so brave (drunk) that Genever was dubbed ‘Dutch Courage’.
Sin is for Giners
Fast forward to the latter half of the 1600s and the combination of William III’s harsh taxes on French wines, and cognacs and a British distilling free-for-all, meant that the ‘Gin Craze’ was in full swing and anybody who was anybody was distilling the spirit with whatever they could get their hands on. This included turpentine and sulphuric acid, the latter being a corrosive substance, destructive to the skin, eyes, teeth, and lungs. Quite detrimental to your health to say the least!
This period saw a humble pint of beer as more expensive than a pint of gin – don’t let that give you any ideas…
Putting the brakes on ‘Mother’s Ruin’
To crack down on gin production, laws had to be made. The Gin Act of 1751 raised taxes and fees for retailers and made licences more difficult to obtain. Instead, the promotion of beer and tea was promoted so that the Brits would, once again, be restored to a nation of beer drinkers (boring?).
Some progress at last
In the 1830’s things started to look up for our junipery friend, when Aeneas Coffey, a very influential Irish individual, invented the continuous column still, revolutionising drinks production. His invention allowed alcohol to be produced more efficiently, producing a lighter spirit at higher alcohol content. Coffey patented his design in 1830, and it became the basis for every column still to come.
Tides are Turning
In the 1870s, Schweppes gave a novel boost to the gin category by inventing Indian Tonic Water, in response to overseas armed forces’ penchant for Gin with their prescribed dose of quinine to fight malaria. Gin was finally getting its act together and becoming a little more shipshape. Quinine alone was unpalatable to say the least. For the Royal Navy, gin proved better cargo than beer which spoiled quickly, and limes were added to fight scurvy – the lime cordial and gin were combined to birth the Gimlet, our founder Hilary’s favourite cocktail (in case you were planning on buying her a drink!)
Thankfully, despite its troubled past, gin has had a rebirth and today is a much more graceful spirit.
Time to taste this juniper-laced spirit in all its glory:
Here at Sacred, we make a diverse range of gins, each showing a different side of this beautiful juniper-forward spirit. Our classic Sacred Gin is smooth enough for a premium Martini, bold enough for a Negroni and refreshing enough for a G&T. If you’re looking for something more junipery, try our Organic or Juniper Gin, and for something a little experimental, venture into the aromatic realm of Cardamom Gin, looking for citrus – look no further than Pink Grapefruit Gin: all lovingly vacuum distilled at our distillery on Highgate High Street!
Distillery Visit – Highgate
COVID-19 SAFETY
1.25 HOURS
Join us at the Sacred Distillery in the heart of Highgate at the world’s first vacuum distillery. While you sip on a Sacred G&T, a member of our knowledgeable team will guide you through a short history of gin and explain our unique process, while you taste through 8 of our award-winning spirits.
- Visit the world’s first vacuum distillery
- Expert guiding through our award-winning range
- 10% off Sacred products in the Sacred Bottle Shop!
Description
Join us at the Sacred Distillery in the heart of historic Highgate at the world’s first vacuum distillery. While you sip on a Sacred G&T, a member of our knowledgeable team will guide you through a short history of gin and explain our unique process, while you taste through 8 of our award-winning spirits. Finishing with a lovely Sacred cocktail, you’ll have a chance to browse the bottle shop with 10% off Sacred products.
Choose a Virtual Voucher (delivered by email), or a Gift Pack containing a Golden Ticket and a 70cl Bottle of Sacred Gin in a beautiful gift box.
More Information
COVID-19 Safety
For this experience it is taken care of COVID-19 safety with appropriate measures.
Included
- Welcome Sacred Gin & Tonic
- Taste through 8 award-winning spirits
- A short history of gin and tour of the world’s first vacuum distillery
- 10% off the Sacred range in the shop
Participants
Maximum of 10 guests
Languages
English
Important information
Please make sure you eat before your tour, as we will be tasting plenty of spirits!
Booking
From
£29.95
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