Swindon

Swindon is a town in the unitary authority of Swindon, in the English ceremonial county of Wiltshire. It is a fast growing city with 182,411 inhabitants, located on the M4 motorway between London and Bristol. Swindon Town football club plays in the English 4th division. There is a small Strict Baptist church in town.

The Oxford Artisan Distillery

Old Depot, South Park, Cheney Ln, Headington, Oxford OX3 7QJ, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Swindon to Oxford 1 u 3 min. (33,2 mijl) via A420

OUR STILLS

From the moment the distillery was a twinkle in our eye, we knew it would be different. Not different for different’s sake, but different to be better; to be more sustainable, more thoughtful, more considerate of the world around us. With every step of the distilling process carried out with care – from harvesting genetically diverse ancient heritage grains to making our own grain neutral spirit, we knew our stills had to fit our ethos too.

We were never going to import a set of stills from a faraway land, and as still making in England is very rare, our best option was to commission them from scratch. And so began our collaboration with Paul Pridham and South Devon Railway Engineering, some of the last great historical industrial coppersmiths in England, famous for their refurbishment of the Flying Scotsman.

OXFORD BOTANIC GARDEN – PHYSIC GIN

This richly complex gin is a collaboration with and a true celebration of the University of Oxford’s extraordinary Botanic Garden – the oldest of its kind in the country. Founded in 1621 as a physicke (physic) garden for the teaching of herbal medicine, Oxford Botanic Garden was planted during the 1640s by its first keeper, Jacob Bobart the Elder. In 1648, Bobart created a catalogue of all the plants which he grew, now preserved as a treasured ancient manuscript at the Garden. The Oxford Artisan Distillery is the only distillery in the world allowed access to the catalogue and Garden to both inspire and flavour its recipes.

25 unique botanicals, mostly from Bobart’s list and many grown and foraged in the Garden today, give Physic Gin its distinct personality and flavour. Sweet notes of juniper and bay are prominent, with botanicals like wormwood, rue and sweet woodruff bringing a deeply complex flavour. Expect rich, earthy notes from this gin – like nothing you have tasted before. Herbaceous, savoury, and complex, this is a gin that truly represents 400 years of medicinal botanical cultivation.

OXFORD RYE DRY GIN

Our Oxford Rye Dry Gin is a juniper-forward rye gin using a classic combination of botanicals to give bold notes of juniper, pine and citrus, and a hint of aromatic spice.

Gin recipes are all about telling a story. Our gin recipe tells the story of our fields, starting with the seed that we plant and the heritage grain that we grow. As with everything at The Oxford Artisan Distillery, the gin base is distilled from our heritage grains, grown just for us mostly within 50 miles of Oxford. Eschewing pesticides and chemical fertilisers all of our crops are grown sustainably, contributing to an abundance of wildflowers, insects and birds across our farms.

If a long-time fan of our gin, you might notice a change to our name and label. Previously certified Organic, we have decided to focus on putting our farming first, whilst making no changes at all to how our grain is farmed. This change reflects our commitment to working with all farmers working restoratively as we do (not just those certified Organic), using no chemical inputs whatsoever and putting the soil health first.

Suggested serve: Fill a highball glass with ice and pour in 1 part gin to 3 parts Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Tonic. Garnish with a slice of tart apple.

ASHMOLEAN DRY GIN

Our Ashmolean Dry Gin is a collaboration between The Oxford Artisan Distillery and the Ashmolean Museum, the University of Oxford’s Museum of Art and Archaeology and one of Oxford’s most prestigious institutions. Founded in 1683, the Ashmolean’s world famous collections range from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, telling human stories across cultures and across time.

This spirit is inspired by the Museum’s collections from around the world and is crafted with 17 botanicals including exotic jara lemon, rose, jasmine, and spices from the Middle East and Asia. Full tasting and juniper-led, with notes of cardamom and myrrh, the finish is clean with a lingering taste of orris and lemongrass. This is a spirit to savour in a G&T with 1 part gin to 3 parts light tonic, and garnished with a slice of jara lemon or orange.

As with everything at The Oxford Artisan Distillery, the gin base is distilled from our ancient heritage grains, grown just for us within 50 miles of Oxford. Eschewing pesticides and chemical fertilisers all of our crops are grown sustainably, contributing to an abundance of wildflowers, insects and birds across our farms.