Maidstone Distillery
Maidstone Distillery in the Corn Exchange in the heart of the town centre is reinstating the tradition of Maidstone pioneer and master distiller , George Bishop , who created quality and world-renowned spirits from the county town back in 1785 . Today , they are reclaiming Maidstone ’ s forgotten heritage to produce spirits of depth , meaning and character that we can all be proud of . Bishop was a champion of the people and it ’ s time for his legacy to be tasted again .
How did you end up making spirits ? Both Sam and Darren are spirits enthusiasts . Darren has been making spirits , albeit on a small scale , for many years . They live in Bearsted on the edge of Maidstone and when they discovered the significant but largely forgotten history of distilling in Kent ’ s county town , they felt inspired to do justice to this incredible legacy . Darren teamed up with Master Distiller Gerard Evans to create the three spirits that would re-launch the Maidstone Distillery . They also have two exciting new spirits that they hope to launch later this year , as well as embarking on a journey to make an English whisky which will be a personal dream come true for Darren .
What was the inspiration behind the Maidstone Distillery ? There is a fascinating history of distilling in Maidstone that originates in 1785 and spans almost 250 years , playing out on the nation ’ s stage . It includes two previous Maidstone
Distilleries , two fascinating families , and spirits of world renown . Today ’ s site is the third incarnation of Maidstone Distillery and the team are working tirelessly to produce award-winning spirits which not only taste amazing but have a captivating narrative .
How important is sustainability to you ? Hugely important - since launching the distillery we have always been conscious of our impact on the environment and have taken many key steps . Some of these include using 100 % renewable energy at the distillery , using plastic-free packaging for all of our products and operating a refilling scheme whereby customers can refill their empty bottles to cut down on waste . We also work with two charity partners , one is Plantlife who are Europe ’ s largest wild plant charity - in partnership with them we create Ranscombe Wild Small Batch Gin using foraged botanicals from their flagship reserve here in Kent and donate 2.5 % of all sales of the gin towards their conservation efforts . We are also FoodLoop champions , helping to promote the use of an app here in Kent that will reduce food waste across different businesses and give everyone better access to good food .
MEET THE DISTILLERY
What ’ s your favourite spirit and how should it be drunk ? For Darren it has to be George Bishop London Dry Gin served with an Indian tonic and a slice of dried orange or grapefruit - simply delicious ! For the cocktail enthusiasts Sam recommends a Kentish Garden , the distillery ’ s take on a mojito , made with local honey , elderflower liqueur and Kentish apple juice ! It ’ s delightful . Alongside our working distillery , we also operate a Visit England accredited visitor attraction that is 5 star rated on TripAdvisor . We host a range of exciting experiences including distillery tours , gin making classes , cocktail masterclasses as well as operating a bar and shop .
themaidstonedistillery . com
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