Gin lovers are being invited to create their own unique flavour at a new gin school experience which has opened on the sprawling Ramsbury Estate, in Wiltshire.
Just an hour out from London by train, alighting at Hungerford, the three and half hour masterclass is the latest attraction to open at the estate, renowned for its award-winning vodka and gin.
An extension to the estate’s distillery tours, the Ramsbury Gin School invites enthusiasts and connoisseurs to discover the art of gin-making.
The Luxe Review was one of the first to experience the class, as well as tour the estate’s beautiful country grounds and take a closer look at its impressive operation…
An extension to the estate’s distillery tours, the Ramsbury Gin School invites enthusiasts and connoisseurs to discover the art of gin-making…
Ramsbury Single Estates is headquartered in the picturesque village of Ramsbury and comprises 19,000 acres of North East Wiltshire, West Berkshire and North Hampshire.
“We grow our own wheat, rapeseed and rye,” explains Nik Fordham, General Manager, over a welcoming coffee. “We make all our own base spirit here, we ferment and distil it to make our vodka, and then use that vodka as a base to make our gin.”
The estate offers tours of its picture-postcard countryside, so you can experience the journey from field to bottle, which are highly recommended.
Ramsbury also makes its own beers. Ramsbury Gold is an unpretentious 4.5 ABV ale, golden in colour, brewed with malted barley and English Goldings hops, while Farmer’s Best is a quaffable 3.6% ABV session bitter. They’re joined by Deer Stalker, a traditional amber bitter, with a pronounced hoppy aroma, and a straw-coloured pale ale, with distinct citrus notes, both at 4% ABV.
All are on tap at The Bell, the award-winning pub in Ramsbury village which is owned by the Wiltshire based company (it’s a great spot for lunch!).
The Ramsbury Estate is big on sustainability. It draws water out of its own well and uses stills powered by chipped wood from its 2600 acres of commercial woodland. “There’s a woodchipper on site which powers our own steam. The ashes from that are used as fertiliser as well,” explains Fordham.
“Spent grains and leaves from the brewing process are used for cattle feed. We have a herd of South Devons crossed with Aberdeen Angus. We’ve just bought ourselves a new bull, 14 months old and just under 600 kilos – he’s a big old boy!”
The estate is also stocking up on pigs. “Rye is a favourite of the pigs. We’ve also got a butchery and kitchen garden. I’m also looking at how we can grow our own botanicals – coriander, angelica, rosemary and thyme.”
The Ramsbury Gin School Experience
Our gin school is hosted by Ramsbury Global brand Ambassador Mikul Kalyan, a font of knowledge, not only on Ramsbury’s gin and vodka, but also cocktails.
We’re ushered to our stations, featuring a miniature copper still and assorted tools, including scales, beakers and pouches for our botanicals. It’s here at the workbench that you get to witness the magic of distillation and the intricate process of creating gin close up.
The idea is to create a bespoke gin with its own unique flavour profile. Pupils handpick their choice of botanicals from an extensive selection. Kalyan has laid out tables of botanicals for us to supplement core botanicals of Juniper, Coriander, Angelica and Orris.
There are floral favourites, including rose petal, chamomile, lavender and Heather; a collection of dried lemon, orange grapefruit and quince for citrus notes; nuts and sweets, including honey and licorice, and a virtual cupboard of spices and herbs.
It’s an enticing, aromatic smorgasbord. What would you choose?
An ice cold G&T passes the time until the distillation magic is complete, then we get to sample our creation in a crafted signature serve – which proves very satisfying! All pupils take home a signed bottle of their own gin blend, it’s the perfect memento. At this school, homework is clearly the best bit!
The experiential package costs £85 per person, and this includes that 70cl bespoke bottle, supplied in a Ramsbury branded bottle bag, three 25ml Ramsbury London Dry Gin & Tonics, a distillery tour with spirits tasters and shop discounts.
We had a blast concocting The Luxe Review gin (1/1 limited edition), and the resulting serve was delicious. The whole experience certainly gives a sense of the passion and expertise of the Ramsbury team, as well as offering a unique look at the craft and artistry behind gin production.
They say school days are the happiest of our lives. Well, that certainly applies to Ramsbury Gin School days. We give the experience top marks.
Bookings are available on Fridays and Saturdays. For more visit ramsbury.com.
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A new gin is challenging convention by bringing mathematics into the distillation process. Aureus Vita, or Golden Way of Life, is the creation of chemist-turned-master-distiller John Hall, founder of Trevethan Distillery, who has applied the Fibonacci sequence – the golden ratio that governs many forms in nature and art – to every stage of production.…
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The Luxe Review 
Gin lovers are being invited to create their own unique flavour at a new gin school experience which has opened on the sprawling Ramsbury Estate, in Wiltshire.
Just an hour out from London by train, alighting at Hungerford, the three and half hour masterclass is the latest attraction to open at the estate, renowned for its award-winning vodka and gin.
An extension to the estate’s distillery tours, the Ramsbury Gin School invites enthusiasts and connoisseurs to discover the art of gin-making.
The Luxe Review was one of the first to experience the class, as well as tour the estate’s beautiful country grounds and take a closer look at its impressive operation…
Ramsbury Single Estates is headquartered in the picturesque village of Ramsbury and comprises 19,000 acres of North East Wiltshire, West Berkshire and North Hampshire.
“We grow our own wheat, rapeseed and rye,” explains Nik Fordham, General Manager, over a welcoming coffee. “We make all our own base spirit here, we ferment and distil it to make our vodka, and then use that vodka as a base to make our gin.”
The estate offers tours of its picture-postcard countryside, so you can experience the journey from field to bottle, which are highly recommended.
Ramsbury also makes its own beers. Ramsbury Gold is an unpretentious 4.5 ABV ale, golden in colour, brewed with malted barley and English Goldings hops, while Farmer’s Best is a quaffable 3.6% ABV session bitter. They’re joined by Deer Stalker, a traditional amber bitter, with a pronounced hoppy aroma, and a straw-coloured pale ale, with distinct citrus notes, both at 4% ABV.
All are on tap at The Bell, the award-winning pub in Ramsbury village which is owned by the Wiltshire based company (it’s a great spot for lunch!).
The Ramsbury Estate is big on sustainability. It draws water out of its own well and uses stills powered by chipped wood from its 2600 acres of commercial woodland. “There’s a woodchipper on site which powers our own steam. The ashes from that are used as fertiliser as well,” explains Fordham.
“Spent grains and leaves from the brewing process are used for cattle feed. We have a herd of South Devons crossed with Aberdeen Angus. We’ve just bought ourselves a new bull, 14 months old and just under 600 kilos – he’s a big old boy!”
The estate is also stocking up on pigs. “Rye is a favourite of the pigs. We’ve also got a butchery and kitchen garden. I’m also looking at how we can grow our own botanicals – coriander, angelica, rosemary and thyme.”
The Ramsbury Gin School Experience
Our gin school is hosted by Ramsbury Global brand Ambassador Mikul Kalyan, a font of knowledge, not only on Ramsbury’s gin and vodka, but also cocktails.
We’re ushered to our stations, featuring a miniature copper still and assorted tools, including scales, beakers and pouches for our botanicals. It’s here at the workbench that you get to witness the magic of distillation and the intricate process of creating gin close up.
The idea is to create a bespoke gin with its own unique flavour profile. Pupils handpick their choice of botanicals from an extensive selection. Kalyan has laid out tables of botanicals for us to supplement core botanicals of Juniper, Coriander, Angelica and Orris.
There are floral favourites, including rose petal, chamomile, lavender and Heather; a collection of dried lemon, orange grapefruit and quince for citrus notes; nuts and sweets, including honey and licorice, and a virtual cupboard of spices and herbs.
It’s an enticing, aromatic smorgasbord. What would you choose?
An ice cold G&T passes the time until the distillation magic is complete, then we get to sample our creation in a crafted signature serve – which proves very satisfying! All pupils take home a signed bottle of their own gin blend, it’s the perfect memento. At this school, homework is clearly the best bit!
The experiential package costs £85 per person, and this includes that 70cl bespoke bottle, supplied in a Ramsbury branded bottle bag, three 25ml Ramsbury London Dry Gin & Tonics, a distillery tour with spirits tasters and shop discounts.
We had a blast concocting The Luxe Review gin (1/1 limited edition), and the resulting serve was delicious. The whole experience certainly gives a sense of the passion and expertise of the Ramsbury team, as well as offering a unique look at the craft and artistry behind gin production.
They say school days are the happiest of our lives. Well, that certainly applies to Ramsbury Gin School days. We give the experience top marks.
Bookings are available on Fridays and Saturdays. For more visit ramsbury.com.
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Why settle for ordinary when you can gift the extraordinary? Welcome to an unashamedly indulgent Christmas Gift Guide, packed with handpicked delights sure to tantalise the senses. From the best in bourbon and classic single malts, to cocktails made easy, these suggestions are sure to please… Garavogue 20 Year Old Single Malt Irish whiskey The…
Aureus Vita: Chemist turned distiller applies Fibonacci golden ratio to create perfect gin
A new gin is challenging convention by bringing mathematics into the distillation process. Aureus Vita, or Golden Way of Life, is the creation of chemist-turned-master-distiller John Hall, founder of Trevethan Distillery, who has applied the Fibonacci sequence – the golden ratio that governs many forms in nature and art – to every stage of production.…
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Master of Malt, in partnership with Drinks by the Dram, is looking to make the countdown to Christmas a little smoother with it’s latest range of luxury advent calendars. From sherried Scotch to premium gin, each calendar offers a daily discovery of fine drams and small-batch brilliance, as the big day approaches. This year’s collection…
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