Even though we can’t go out today and celebrate St George’s Day, it doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate it in the comfort of our own home and create our own special cocktail with some Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky and Cotswolds Dry Gin.
The Cotswolds Distillery is situated in Stourton, right in the heart of England in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, at the edge of the beautiful Cotswolds, and are actually one of very few distilleries that make both gin and whisky here in the UK.
Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky was launched back in 2017 and was the first whisky to ever be distilled in the Cotswolds. The distillery uses 100% locally grown, floor-malted barley and matures the whisky in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels as well as reconditioned red wine casks. As a result, the whisky is rich and fruity with notes of honey, Seville orange marmalade and dark red fruits. You will find a label on each bottle listing the barley variety, the harvest year and the local Cotswolds farm it was grown on, which is a nice touch.
The Cotswolds Whisky Highball is an easy to make cocktail made with 50ml Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky and Soda Water.
Start by filling a highball glass with ice and then add some Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky. Top it with soda water and garnish with whatever you fancy, be it from your kitchen or garden and add a slice of lemon or orange or even a sprig of rosemary.
Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky costs from £44.95 for a 70cl bottle with an ABV of 46% and is available from: waitrose.com, majestic.co.uk, thewhiskyexchange.com, Harrods, Laithwaites and cotswoldsdistillery.com
If gin is more your thing, then Cotswolds Dry Gin is distilled with a blend of carefully considered botanicals including freshly hand-peeled grapefruit and lime and local Cotswolds lavender from nearby Snowshill. It is non-chill filtered, which means that the oils are retained in the gin, causing a pearlescent cloud to appear when mixed with ice or tonic.
Cotswolds Dry Gin is of course best made with tonic water for the perfect Gin & Tonic, as well as a slice of fresh grapefruit and a bay leaf to create The Cloudy G&T. However, a citrus garnish or naked G&T is just as delicious if you find you don’t have these garnishes in the house.
Cotswolds Dry Gin costs from £34.95, has an ABV of 46% and is available from Waitrose, Majestic, Oddbins, Laithwaites, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Fortnum and Mason and cotswoldsdistillery.com
Cotswolds Distillery are currently offering free delivery on all orders over £25 from their website, which has been reduced from a minimum spend of £75.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is Editor of Our Man On The Ground, a member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
Photographs courtesy of Cotswolds Distillery
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