Page 32 - ARUBATODAY

A32 FEATURE
Thursday 23 January 2020
Spirit Tourism: Britain sees spike in visits to distilleries

By LOUISE DIXON probably a fortnight,'' says
Associated Press Barber. ``And if I want to
Many people these days take longer, I take longer,
are thirsting not just for a basically. But there's no
drink but for knowledge hurry. And the same when
about where it comes from. you're drinking it."
``Spirit tourism'' is boom- Back in the bustling capital,
ing across the United King- East London Liquor compa-
dom, with artisanal brands ny produces British wheat
and micro distilleries pop- vodka, three London Dry-
ping up and many global style gins and whisky. Based
brands distilled here. in a historic glue factory in
Bombay Sapphire distillery, Bow Wharf, the distillery
for example, produces its has a bar attached where
iconic blue bottles of gin guests can enjoy a drink
in a former paper mill in while watching production
Hampshire, England. Gin through a glass wall.
has been enjoying a renais- "What beats sitting here
sance, according to the having a martini, watch-
Wine and Spirit Trade As- ing it being made?" says
sociation, and even well- founder and ex-bartender
established global brands Alex Wolpert.
have been trying to up The former paper mill Laverstoke Mill distillery located on the River Test in Laverstoke, southern Wolpert says he founded
their game. England, in 2015, that hosts over 100,000 visitors per year at the Bombay Sapphire gin distillery. East London Liquor several
"When Bombay Sapphire Associated Press years ago to democratize
came out 30 years ago, in booze, producing some-
1986, there was probably you don't want to be left make vodka from what is they offer cocktail-making thing local, independent
a handful of different gins. short and you don't want to left over from that process. classes, and serve fresh lo- and affordable. The com-
Now we're seeing about have it burning down too "Premium brand drinks, es- cal food in their bar and pany offers a whisky, a gin
200 new gins on the market long, but you want to have pecially, talk about the kitchen. and a mixed distillery tour,
every single year in the U.K. a sort of development of quality of their materials Barber hopes visitors to and Wolpert says everyone
alone," says spokesman flavors.'' and where it comes from, Black Cow will see ``we're leaves with a bottle.
Sam Carter. For a different kind of ex- and traditionally, spirits al- doing something new, "When they've had that
Over 100,000 people a year perience, visitors can travel ways were made out of we're pushing things along kind of sensuous, tactile in-
come through the distillery, to The Black Cow Distillery what's left over from the a bit. We're considering volvement in the process,
he says. Along with tours, on an organic farm in West table," Archie explains. how we're farming, con- they've been behind (the
Bombay Sapphire offers Dorset, England, where He and Barber, he says, sidering how we're making scenes), they've picked up
cocktail master classes, bo- dairy farmer Jason Barber have taken something things ... And it's lovely to the juniper berries ... there's
tanical supper clubs, and and his friend Paul "Archie" from the dairy process of get people to relook at the a relationship there,'' Wolp-
horticultural tours through Archard started a vodka "a low material value and countryside and view it in a ert says. ``So, you're kind of
the surrounding conserva- brand in 2012. turned it into, we think, the different way." almost by default building
tion area. Barber's family has been smoothest vodka in the Don't expect to see pro- advocates of what we do
Bombay's master distiller, making cheese for over world." duction at city speed. by having them in the pro-
Anne Brock, sees the rise of two centuries, and the pair As well as a distillery tour, "From cow to bottle it's duction space.''
spirit tourism as a response Carter advises spirit enthu-
to public desire to "go and siasts to sit at the bar and
meet the makers." talk to the bartenders.
"People are finding their lo- "If you can find your favor-
cal distillery. They're enjoy- ite watering holes where
ing that spirit and they're you can trust the bar team
going on from there and to recommend stuff, that's
exploring,'' she says. always a great starting
The classic gin and tonic is point," he says.
in decline, Carter says, re- Finally, no spirit tourism trip is
placed by cocktails like the complete without a visit to
Negroni, French 75, or gin Scotland.
and ginger. Dewar's Aberfeldy Distill-
"One of the most important ery in the Scottish High-
things for us is to get peo- lands has been producing
ple to come down, create Scotch whisky since 1898,
cocktails themselves, feel and offers traditional whis-
really comfortable about ky tastings, a luxury blend-
making cocktails and then ers tour, and a whisky and
be able to replicate them chocolate tasting tour.
at home," he says. "We're seeing people really
Brock hopes visitors also get want to get in depth. They
a better understanding of want to get under the skin
what to look for in a gin. of how the whisky is pro-
"You're looking for a bal- People are guided during a cellar tour of the Dewar’s Distillery in Aberfeldy, the Scottish Highlands, duced, and they want to
ance. You're looking for an in 2018, where they have produced Scotch whisky since 1898, and offer traditional whisky tast- taste different ones," says
overall sort of flavor story in ings, and a whisky and chocolate tasting tour. Associated Press in-house whisky expert Si-
the mouth,'' she says. ``So, mon Robinson.q