Redsmith Distillery

About

Redsmith Distillery is the only gin maker and distillery in the City of Nottingham. The distillery’s signature expression, Redsmith London Dry Gin was launched in 2016 following three years of development and has picked up several top awards. In October 2016 the gin won “Gin of the Year” at the Craft Distilling Expo. at a time to coincide with London Cocktail week. This was a competition open to European gin released in the previous year and was entered by over fifty gins.  The bottle label went on to win “Label of the Year” at the UK Packaging Awards in November 2017. Just recently Redsmith London Dry Gin brought home a very rare and prestigious Double Gold Medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and by doing so has established itself as one of the finest spirits in the world. Redsmith Distillery: the small distillery that can.

At the heart of every distillery is the still itself where the spirits are created. The Redsmith still named Jenny was designed and built in Nottingham by Redsmith founder Wayne Asher. Just in case you are wondering, why Redsmith? Redsmith is another name for a coppersmith and a fair amount of coppersmithing went into building Jenny. Many of the stills operating in the United Kingdom are imported and are all of a pretty similar design. It is Jenny’s unique design and the fact that she is made almost entirely from copper that imparts the smooth character associated with the distillery’s gin. Jenny is probably the smallest commercial still to incorporate a ten bubble plate rectifying column.

Recently Redsmith Distillery released Nottingham Dry Apple Gin made in very small batches using Nottingham’s own Bramley Apple. The Bramley Apple is steeped in Nottingham history and was first grown in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Apple pips were planted by Mary Brailsford circa 1809 and it is from a resulting tree that all Bramley apples are related. Nottingham Dry Apple Gin embraces the true Robin Hood spirit of Nottinghamshire and will only ever be available in small batches as it relies on when local apples are available and at their best. It is all the more fitting that the distillery operates from an old converted fruit market on the edge of the City centre; Sneinton Market that used to serve the city’s fruit and vegetable needs. Sneinton Market is now home to many small creative businesses including a brewery, historic public house and a coffee shop to mention a few.

Redsmith Distillery products are to be found in local shops, bars and restaurants and are now becoming available nationwide as the good word spreads. The distillery also operates an online shop via its website.

Wayne Asher, Redsmith founder, still finds it fascinating to experiment with botanical alchemy to create interesting, limited release gin. Their most recent limited release is Orange and White Tea Gin. Orange gin is nothing new but this one is not sweetened at all, delivering a crisp and elegant citrus to compliment the juniper with dry white tea on the finish. This new gin makes a super refreshing gin and tonic and the distillery’s favorite cocktail with this gin is the Comet, a mix of orange gin, Lillet vermouth and Maraschino as described in the 1930s.

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