The Crafty Distillery
Wigtown Road,
Newton Stewart,
Dumfries & Galloway
History - Graham Taylor is the brain child of The Crafty Distillery located in his beautiful hometown of Newton Stewart in Galloway, which luckily has a plethora of local botanicals and fantastic grain available to create gin. With his background in the branding and design industry he saw an oppor-tunity to create his own brand. In May last year his dream became a reality when the Crafty Distill-ery opened perched on a hillside with stunning views over the Galloway Hills. Graham designed and built (along with his Father, Billy) everything creating this modern and purpose-built structure with a purpose of creating a ‘grain to glass’ distillation utilising the natural larder of the area.
The Gin – Of course the bottle is well designed with Graham’s background but its the liquid inside that really stands out. Hill’s and Harbour Gin has won a lot of loyal fans since its launch last year. Along with 9 other botanicals they use locally forged Noble Fir needles & Bladderwrack Seaweed in their recipe, all distilled in their 250 litre dutch stainless steel pot stills to create a smooth an vibrant gin. If you are having a G&T with this then they suggest a slice of fresh mango as the garnish. They are not just making gin here. This year Crafty will begin production of its own single malt whisky, where they will create a fruity spirit fermented for long periods and matured in virgin American oak casks.
Why Visit - On their “Taste and Tour” you will enjoy an hour long tour of the distillery, and learn how they make their very own spirit from scratch and the process for making Hill and Harbour Gin. After the tour you can then enjoy a perfect serve of the gin itself. Tours run Monday to Saturday at 12noon or 3pm, and must be booked in advance. It is a great tour and that has been well thought out and well worth the visit if you are into your gin. If you are looking to spend the day here then you and your friends can book into “The Gin Escape” where you will spend the day exploring the beautiful hills and coastlines of Galloway foraging for the gins botanicals before heading back to the distillery for a tour and some cocktails. The Tree Bar and Cafe, which launched this summer, is not just an after thought like some distillery cafes. They have put together a great menu including the Galloway Picnic concept which brings you a unique taste of Galloway from the region's best producers, where you can enjoy a range of cheeses, smoked goods, fresh breads and a range of preserves. Even the coffee is amazing with artisan roasted coffee from The Good Coffee Cartel based in Glasgow. The cafe is open Tuesday to Saturday 11am - 5pm.
Interesting fact – There is a rebellious and cheeky side to The Crafty Distillery. They even state “No Victorian Gents or Soho Hipsters” on their advertising and have 2 promises for their followers. 1) You won't have to re-mortgage your house to buy our stuff. 2) We won't bamboozle you with cra-zy ingredients, distilling jargon or trendy nonsense. All served with a dash of humour and a slice of enthusiasm.
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