Craft distiller Durham Distillery has launched its brand new winter liqueur, Damson Blackberry and Ginger, further boosting its range of bespoke gin, liqueurs and vodka.
Produced using their top quality handmade Durham Gin, it has been infused with the winter fruits, damson and blackberry, and ginger for additional heat and warmth.
Jess Tomlinson, head distiller at Durham Distillery, explains: “Due to the success of our strawberry and pink pepper liqueur earlier this year, we just knew we had to pull out all the stops for our winter edition – no pressure at all!
“I think it’s key to get the balance of flavours just so, for example our gin balances spicy, sweet and savoury. Building on this foundation, we wanted the winter liqueur to hit the right notes. The combination of smooth damson berries, soft and light blackberry, and the warming ginger finish tastes great – it feels right for a winter tipple! We love this liqueur served with a bitter lemonade and some stem ginger or as an addition to prosecco – always a winner.”
The small-batch craft distillery, based in Durham, has been distilling since 2013 and is one of the UK’s most traditional distilleries, using only the highest quality ingredients and a 400 litre copper pot called Lily (after the owner’s daughter).
Managing the entire distilling process in-house, the team of six hand produces just 300 bottles at a time to ensure maximum quality, with absolutely no shortcuts taken. The whole team is truly passionate and knowledgeable about what they are doing, and it shows.
The range
Durham Damson, Blackberry and Ginger Liqueur
Durham Gin, fresh pressed damson and blackberry juices and crushed ginger combined have created this warming and intoxicating liqueur. Great served with prosecco, your favourite mixer or simply over ice. Available in 70cl bottles from £23, 30% ABV.
Durham Gin
Made to a unique recipe of botanicals including juniper, celery seed and pink peppercorns, this handmade gin is available in 70cl from £27.50 and 20cl from £10, 40% ABV.
Durham Strawberry and Pink Pepper Liqueur
Durham Gin, fresh pressed strawberry juice and pink pepper combined have resulted in this deliciously fruity and warm liqueur. Great served with prosecco, your favourite mixer or simply over ice. Available in 70cl bottles from £20, 20% ABV.
Durham Vodka
The vodka is triple distilled and slow filtered in small batches, available in 70cl from £27.50 and 20cl from £10, 40% ABV.
The Durham Distillery Way…
Durham Gin
Firstly, juniper berries are hand crushed and added to other robust botanicals, including angelica and pink peppercorn. This combination is placed into a mixture of locally sourced spring water and pure grain spirit and left to infuse, or macerate overnight in the still. The next morning a second batch of botanicals is added and the still heated, making vapours rise through a copper tube called a lyne arm. Mounted on the lyne arm is the gin basket which contains the third and final set of lighter, more delicate botanicals.
Its distinctive flavours…
Spicy – the pink peppercorn creates a warm spicy top note
Savoury – celery seed adds a distinctive savoury character
Sweet – finishing with the light floral sweetness of elderflower
Durham Vodka
The tails of the gin are gathered and slowly filtered through a custom built filtration column, based on the Lincoln County column used by Jack Daniels. It takes up to two weeks to filter and once complete the lyne arm of the still is changed over, and the filtrate redistilled. Another round of distilling takes place as required to ensure the finished article is perfect. The result of all of this process? A few hundred bottles of smooth, clean vodka a month.
Durham Gin, Durham Vodka and the Strawberry and Pink Pepper Liqueur are stocked in Majestic Wines nationally, numerous shops, bars and independents across northern and southern England, and can be purchased directly on the website with P&P only £5 per bottle, or spend more than £100 and P&P is free at https://durhamdistillery.co.uk/shop/
