Winner of ‘BEST ENGLISH LONDON DRY GIN’ at the World Gin Awards 2021. The Blowing Stone’ London Dry Gin is the first in the Ashdown Series and is a tribute to Alfred’s first victory over the Danish Vikings. Batch-distilled using a three-part process, they use a blend of beautifully balanced botanicals which could be found locally during the middle ages. Treat the gin lover in your life, to a gin gift set of miniature Blowing Stone gins, beautifully presented in a gift box. I’m looking for the best London Dry gin brands. What is the best London dry gin in 2021, available in the UK? The Blowing Stone Distillery in West Berkshire finds its identity deeply rooted in England's historical tapestry. Named after the legendary "Blowing Stone," the distillery embodies a sense of heritage that is unparalleled. The Blowing Stone itself, a significant piece of England's history, is said to have been used by Alfred the Great to summon troops to the pivotal Battle of Ashdown in the 9th century.

Blowing Stone, All Four Variants - Blowing Stone Gin The Blowing Stone, All Four Variants - Blowing Stone Gin

In conceiving and developing the Blowing Stone gins, we have set out to ‘distil history.’ We bring the events of 9th century Wessex to life through both the design of the spirit bottles and through the way in which we have developed the flavour profiles. To summon his troops into battle that morning, Alfred blew into an ancient perforated sarsen stone which delivered a loud booming sound across the downs. Known as ‘The Blowing Stone’ this marked the beginning of the Battle of Ashdown from which Alfred emerged victorious. The battle was an important one in the history of the whole country as it represented Alfred’s first victory against the Vikings and a first step towards the eventual unification of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.Most notably the Battle of Ashdown – the decisive conquering of the Vikings by Alfred the Great, saving England from Viking domination. For the perfect Blowing Stone London Dry gin and tonic, mix approximately three parts tonic to one part gin and garnish with pink grapefruit or a citrus segment such as lime or orange. We always recommend using a great premium tonic such as Fever Tree or Franklin’s in a Copa glass with plenty of ice.

The Blowing Stone Gins - Hawkridge Distillers

The term Dutch gin refers to a traditional liquor called Jenever, which technically isn’t actually gin and instead is a malted grain-based spirit that is flavoured with juniper. Yes! If you are looking for a flavoured gin selection gift set that’s a bit different, then this is the flavoured gin set for you. The set include the following infused gin flavours: All of The Blowing Stone gin different flavours, are made at our Hawkridge Distillery in Newbury, Berkshire, UK.

We designed the gin in a way that would reflect the era in look, feel and taste. The shape of the bottle resembles that of a 9 th century drinking vessel. Hand-drawn Saxon style art with the battle’s date subtlety hidden on the bottle and a hand drawn label decorate the gin. Inside the bottle, the gin’s flavour profile has been carefully developed over scores of test distillations using botanicals that were available in the 9 th century (including meadowsweet, gorse and honey). If you are looking for flavoured gin gifts in the UK, The Blowing Stone mini gin gift set, is the perfect gift! The 4 mini gin bottles include our London Dry, which was awarded the ‘Best English London Dry Gin 2021′ at the World Gin Awards. In essence, the Blowing Stone Distillery is more than just a place where spirits are made; it's where history is bottled. Through its offerings, one gets to taste not just the flavours of West Berkshire, but also the legacy of a time when kings blew through stones, and battles changed the course of history. The Blowing Stone Ashdown series of gins is a tribute to Alfred’s first victory over the Danish Vikings. Batch-distilled using our three-part process, we use a blend of beautifully balanced botanicals which could be found locally during the middle-ages as well as quality and distinctive juniper berries.

Hawkridge Distillers with Phil Howarth | West Berkshire Villagers

The West Berkshire village of Compton is now officially home to the best London Dry gin in the country. At the end of last month, following the tasting of 800 entries, the prestigious World Gin Awards announced “The Blowing Stone” London Dry gin by Hawkridge Distillers as the best in its category in England. On the 8th January 871, an Anglo-Saxon army, led by King Ethelred and his younger brother, the future King Alfred the Great was about to face the Viking army…a formidable enemy, intent on establishing Danish rule over the whole of England. Having conquered every other kingdom in England, just one more separated the Vikings from total domination – The Kingdom of Wessex. Being located in West Berkshire, the distillery is uniquely positioned to draw inspiration from both its immediate surroundings and the legends of old. This rich confluence of history and place imbues the distillery's spirits with a narrative that’s as captivating as the flavours themselves. TASTING NOTE: “A great traditional-style gin with a zing of juniper alongside meadow flowers, herbs, citrus peel, cumin and gingery spices. Good and complex. Some woody notes and some warmth, before a complex, rounded finish.

The bottle is designed to be reminiscent of a typical middle-ages drinking vessel, embellished with an intricate hand-drawn Anglo Saxon inspired artwork which subtly conveys the date of the Battle of Ashdown (look closely!). Why did we call it “The Blowing Stone?” Well.. legend suggests that on the morning of the battle, Alfred, who was in command of half of the Saxon army (his brother, King Ethelred commanded the other half) called his troops into battle by blowing skilfully into an ancient, perforated sarsen stone. The stone emitted a loud booming sound across the downs which signalled Alfred’s command to march west to face the “heathen” Viking foe. The stone became known as “The Blowing Stone” and you can still see it (and blow into it!), now in a garden in the village of Kinsgston Lisle near Wantage.