As some of you may (or may not) have noticed reading my Twitter updates lately, I spent a few days in England over the weekend and had the chance to take a wee trip to a wonderful area known as the Cotswolds. Of course, the main goal of this journey was to visit the newly-opened Cotswolds Distillery, nestled amongst scenic English countryside and picturesque golden-stone cottages.
This little paradise, only a few miles drive from Birmingham, London, or Oxford, really is a true hidden gem. Driving through those narrow country roads, only surrounded by green fields, small canals and the cutest villages ever, you’re not expecting – at all – to find this cosy, intimate craft distillery.
The Cotswolds Distillery started distilling only a few months ago but is already producing small batch quality spirits such as a wonderful lavender gin – which was like a direct flight to the French Riviera at first sniff – and among others, an expresso martini, truly astonishing, even for a non-coffee person like me. If you’re planning a visit (and I hope you are!) I prefer not spoiling your personal visitor experience by disclosing everything in this article
Of course whisky is currently maturing in different kinds of casks and I can’t be more optimistic about the future. The Cotswolds’ distillers team, coming from complety different backgrounds tend to be creative genius and while visiting the laboratory, you’ll understand that spirit making is a real art.
If you happen to travel in the area, or to stay for a few days in London or Birmingham, I would then highly recommend to stop by the distillery and take part in one of their tours, where you’ll be able to truly discover all the stages of the whisky-making process and enjoy a surprising tasting. As a small-sized distillery, the place isn’t a touristic machine like some overcrowded distilleries you’ll find in Scotland or Ireland, and happens to be the opportunity to have a real insight into the everyday life of the people making the magic happen !
As I think spirits tend to be a genuine invitation to travel, sometimes bringing you to dramatic coastal areas while you’re sipping an Islay whisky or to a cosy French countryhouse when indulging with an old Cognac; The Cotswolds Distillery’s non-chill filtered gin is telling its own story. The story of this charming part of England, somewhere between Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, somewhere between the lavender fields and the fruit farms, somewhere within the natural beauty of the Cotswolds !
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