Downton Distillery

Downton Distillery Downton Distillery crafts award-winning spirits rooted on the Wiltshire Downs. Our ethos is reuse and conservation. Distilling is not just production.

Celebrating local heritage and provenance, we craft by flavour, built on sustainability. We create award-winning spirits rooted in the Wiltshire Downs. Every bottle reflects provenance, sustainability, and celebrating local flavour. It is product design, some fun with science and storytelling combined. My work focuses on:

• Sustainable spirits and circular production
• Conservation-led collaborat

ions
• Chalk downland botanicals
• Refill systems and packaging reduction
• Building a modern British distillery brand

I believe spirits can carry meaning, not just alcohol. Craft, landscape, and conservation can coexist. Always exploring. Always refining. Always distilling with purpose.

What began as an empty space has become one of the busiest places at the distillery. Every day brings something new. Bum...
20/07/2026

What began as an empty space has become one of the busiest places at the distillery. Every day brings something new. Bumblebees work from flower to flower, hoverflies quietly pollinate alongside them, butterflies drift through the borders and insects emerge from places you'd never expect. Even the smallest residents play their part.

The flowers change with the seasons, bringing new colours, new scents and new wildlife. Some visitors stay for months, while others appear for just a few days before moving on.

As evening falls, our Barn Owls take over the night shift, silently watching over the garden as another day comes to an end.



What happens when Lady Martha Sitwell spends the day at Downton Distillery?A walk on the Wiltshire Downs.A garden full o...
16/07/2026

What happens when Lady Martha Sitwell spends the day at Downton Distillery?

A walk on the Wiltshire Downs.
A garden full of botanicals.
Rosehips, fennel, Wu Wei Zi and a few unexpected discoveries.
Plenty of martinis.
Even more laughter.
And a notebook full of ideas.

Whether every idea makes it into a bottle remains to be seen..

Was Martha impressed?
You'll have to ask her.

A brilliant project to bring to life for a client.What you are looking at here is the equivalent of 21,000 bottles of gi...
08/07/2026

A brilliant project to bring to life for a client.

What you are looking at here is the equivalent of 21,000 bottles of gin. It is not finished gin as you would pour it from the bottle. This is a highly concentrated spirit base, closer in principle to a cordial, created to be carefully diluted before bottling.

It is now on its way to the EU, where the final preparation, bottling and brand launch will take place.

There is something satisfying about seeing a project at this scale leave the distillery. Every botanical decision, every distillation run and every detail of the liquid has led to this point.

If you happen to pick up a bottle when it launches, I hope you enjoy drinking it as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Last night I was determined to capture the perfect sunset and moon rise over the distillery following a blistering hot d...
02/07/2026

Last night I was determined to capture the perfect sunset and moon rise over the distillery following a blistering hot day. Nature clearly had other ideas.

As I was trying to take pictures, I looked down and a hedgehog was by my feet. He knew I was there and just carried on, I was too slow and surprised and only got a 'butt' picture..

Moral of the story. Never underestimate the small things. They're often the ones that leave the biggest impression.

HELP RAISE MONEY FOR CURE LEUKEMIA. Ride the Route. Support the Cause.You may know Phil Howard from Great British Menu, ...
02/07/2026

HELP RAISE MONEY FOR CURE LEUKEMIA.

Ride the Route. Support the Cause.

You may know Phil Howard from Great British Menu, Saturday Kitchen, MasterChef: The Professionals and Market Kitchen. He is now taking on an extraordinary challenge.

Phil is cycling the full Tour de France route to raise vital funds for Cure Leukaemia. Every climb, kilometre and long day in the saddle will help fund life-saving blood cancer research and treatment.

We are proud to support Phil’s journey.

Use code GOPHILTOUR21 for 10% off our full gin range. We will donate 5% of the value of your discount directly to Cure Leukaemia.

Choose a bottle, support an exceptional challenge and help Phil get closer to the finish line.

26/06/2026

In hot weather, insects often search for water but many become trapped in bird baths and drown before they can escape. Our simple water hack uses a recycled egg carton and paper towel to create a safe landing place where bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects can drink without risk.

It is a quick, practical way to reuse everyday household waste while helping the wildlife that keeps your garden thriving. A small change can make a real difference.

# WildlifeGarden GardenTips SustainableLiving Upcycling Reuse CircularEconomy NatureRecovery Conservation BritishWildlife GardenInspiration EcoGarden ClimateAction SupportPollinators WildlifeConservation DowntonDistillery BottleForLife

That’s a wrap.Everyone loves the finished bottle. Few people see what comes prior in the making.Once the still is empty,...
11/06/2026

That’s a wrap.

Everyone loves the finished bottle. Few people see what comes prior in the making.

Once the still is empty, the real work begins. Cleaning copper in the rain, shifting spent botanicals, washing down equipment and preparing everything for the next distillation. It is dirty, wet and decidedly unglamorous, yet therapeutic.

Today’s botanicals are heading straight to the compost pile where they will help feed the vines at Domaine Hugo. Nothing wasted. One process helping another.

While I was cleaning down, one of this year’s young hares decided to wander across and keep me company. A welcome distraction from buckets, brushes and copper.

Distilling may start with flavour, but it ends with a wheelbarrow.

Special orders arrive at the distillery all the time, but this week we received instructions from a Miss Hecate.The brie...
05/06/2026

Special orders arrive at the distillery all the time, but this week we received instructions from a Miss Hecate.

The brief was simple. Create a gin that shines in a Martini.

So before most people had finished their first coffee, the still was lit, the botanicals weighed and the distillation began. A Martini leaves nowhere to hide. Every botanical, every cut and every decision matters.

Now all that remains is to see whether Miss Hecate approves.

EnglishGin Wiltshire SmallBatchGin DistilleryLife CocktailCulture Juniper DrinkBetter

The distillery is fortunate to have a small garden at its front. A space used both for education and inspiration within ...
23/05/2026

The distillery is fortunate to have a small garden at its front. A space used both for education and inspiration within our spirits. Once neglected and forgotten, it is now full of life, colour and movement.

As the warmer weather arrives the plants are beginning to flourish again, drawing in insects, birds and pollinators from across the surrounding landscape. There is something deeply rewarding about sitting amongst it first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee before the day begins.

It is peaceful, energising and a reminder that good things take time to grow.

DistilleryLife SustainableSpirits GardenToGlass GinBotanicals EnglishGin WildlifeGarden Conservation Pollinators SeasonalLiving DowntonDistillery

A small apology to everyone following the judging updates this year. (This has also been delayed by being away for 2 wee...
11/05/2026

A small apology to everyone following the judging updates this year. (This has also been delayed by being away for 2 weeks).

I went unusually quiet over the past few weeks due to being hit with a pretty brutal bronchial infection that required a course of antibiotics to finally shift it. Unfortunately, when your job relies entirely on taste and aroma, being ill creates a real problem. One moment flavours seemed clear and balanced. The next they became completely distorted, with all sorts of strange and funky notes appearing where they simply should not have been.

Because of that, every sample was approached with extra caution. Many entries were re-tasted two or three times over a longer period, with meticulous notes cross referenced throughout to ensure fairness and consistency across the category.

A huge well done to everyone who entered the Contemporary Category this year. The standard was exceptionally high and there was some genuinely exciting work pushing flavour, balance and creativity in new directions. I thoroughly enjoyed judging it.

I had hoped to continue the weekly updates as normal, but this year it simply was not to be.

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