What do you get if you combine Gilbert White’s gardens and Winchester Distillery? Gilbert White Gin, of course.
Many of you will be familiar with the name Gilbert White. White was a pioneering naturalist and ornithologist parson who was born in Selborne, Hampshire, where the White family house remains to this day. The house is known as The Wakes and houses the Gilbert White museum as well as the Oates collection (an Antarctic exhibition dedicated to Captain Oates, who accompanied Captain Scott to the South Pole in 1912).
Edit: 03/11/23 Gilbert White Gin is no longer available.
You might also be familiar with Winchester Distillery (founded in 2014) who produce the fantastic Twisted Nose Watercress Gin, Wasabi Vodka and Vermouth, all of which are made using locally sourced ingredients and botanicals where possible.
Gilbert White was an experimental, keen and enthusiastic gardener, and at The Wakes in Selborne there are 30 acres of ancient parkland and carefully restored gardens which have been looked after by head gardener David Standing since 1979. Perhaps the idea of producing a gin from the gardens is not so unusual and White himself apparently used to make a wide variety of brews and wines made with plants from the gardens.
All the botanicals for the Gilbert White Gin (with the exception of he juniper) are hand-picked by David and include the following herbs and fruits,
Quince
Swan’s Egg Pear
Golden Sage
Winter Savory
Pineapple Mint
Borage
Rose Hip
Gilbert White Gin is distilled at Winchester Distillery by founder Paul Bowler. All of their gins are small batch distilled in traditional copper alquitar pot stills. Alquitar pot stills are renowned for producing a superior, purer spirit due to a slight longer distillation process and unusual design. Batch No 1 is a sophisticated, complex and herbaceous gin, good enough to drink neat. It also makes a great gin and tonic. Use your favourite tonic water and garnish with a slice of pear or mint to complement the botanicals.
It was made by Winchester Distillery. It has been discontinued.
Winchester Distillery is best known for its Twisted Nose Watercress Dry Gin.
Gilbert White was an 18th-century naturalist, ornithologist, and parson born in Selborne, Hampshire. Known for his pioneering work in ecology, he lived at The Wakes, now home to the Gilbert White Museum and the Oates Collection
