What to do at the Weekend: Visit The Costwolds Distillery Tour
The Cotswolds Distillery Tour is the perfect weekend activity for the spirit-lover in your life. No, we’re not talking about ghosts.
Head over to this quaint distillery in Shipston-on-Stour for an afternoon of sampling fine English whiskey and gin.
What we did at the weekend:
Visited The Cotswolds Distillery
Location: Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire
Our rating: 7/10
The Cotswolds Distillery
Situated near the small town of Shipston-on-Stour in the Cotswolds, the Cotswolds Distillery offers an engaging and informative tour experience that is a must for any whiskey or gin drinkers out there.
Having been stablished in 2014, the location has quickly become a prominent name in the UK’s craft spirit scene.
The story of the distillery is rooted in a passion for quality and local craftsmanship.
Who Founded the Cotswolds Distillery?
The distillery was co-founded by Daniel Szor, a native New Yorker who previously worked in the finance industry.
Taking inspiration from his time in the United States, where craft distilling was thriving, Szor set out to establish a distinctive English distillery and spirit range that would embody the beauty and essence of the Cotswolds region.
What Does the Cotswolds Distillery Tour Include?
The Cotswolds Distillery tour offers an informative and really enjoyable experience for all visitors.
Lasting around 45 minutes, you’ll take a look behind the curtain at the whiskey and gin making process at the distillery in a small guided tour group.
This is what you can expect during the tour:
Welcome and Introduction
The Distillery Tour takes place at different time slots, including 10:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:00 PM.
The tour kicks off with a brief introductory video that showcases the distillery’s history, heritage, and traditional production methods.
The Distillery Shop
We were booked on the 10.30am timeslot but as usual, we were a little early.
However, this did give us the opportunity to take a look around the shop area, which is chock full of whiskey, gin, and distillery memorabilia.
There are lots of really interesting items, so it’s well worth taking the time look around the shop before or after your tour.
A Guided Tour of Cotswolds Distillery
After the video, the tour being properly.
As you go along, you will follow the spirit-making process from start-to-finish, and see some pretty impressive distillation equipment.
Throughout, you are accompanied by a knowledgeable tour guide who tells you everything there is to know about the distillery and its products.
Our tour guide was absolutely fantastic.
He was highly engaging, passionate, and an absolute expert in all-things whiskey and gin.
Cotswolds Gin
Gin was actually the first spirit produced and sold by the Cotswolds Distillery.
Because gin is manufactured much more quickly than whiskey (which needs to age), the distillery made gin initially to help finance the business operation.
During the Cotswolds Distillery Tour you will discover how the distillery crafts its signature Cotswolds Dry Gin, including the selection of botanicals and the distillation process.
The tour highlights the role of each ingredient and how they enhance the gin’s final flavor profile.
Cotswolds Whiskey
As you would expect, the tour delves into the whiskey-making process, particularly the production of their most premium whiskey.
Visitors learn about the mashing, fermentation, distillation, and aging processes.
The use of local barley and water from the Cotswolds aquifer is highlighted, showcasing the emphasis on regional sourcing.
The Whiskey Barrel Room
It’s arguably the heart of the distillery, and you will get the opportunity to go inside the barrel room where the whiskey is aged over many years.
We thought this was a highlight of the tour and because our tour guide had previously worked within the timber industry, he was able to tell us how each of the different barrel types contributed towards the flavour profile of the spirit inside.
Do you get Free Samples on the Cotswolds Distillery Tour?
Yes, absolutely.
At the end of the tour you will be lead into a very cosy, comfortable tasting lounge.
At the far side is the bar where your tour guide will be your server for the next half an hour or so.
You’ll be given two small test vessels and welcomed to try any spirit on the menu for as long as the session lasts.
Of the brewery / distillery tours that we have been on previously, the Cotswolds Distillery provide a great selection and a significant quantity of free samples.
They also provide a good selection for any designated drivers in the group.
How Much Does the Cotswolds Distillery Tour Cost?
The Tour and Tasting at the Cotswolds Distillery will set you back £25 per person – which is good value in our opinion.
You can also buy a gift card for the experience by visiting their Gift Card page here. The price is £50 for two people.
Because who wants to drink alone, right?
Buy a Gift currently also has this up for £50 for two people but have a 20% off promotion at the moment.
The Distillery also offers a Tour & Tasting with lunch included from £37 per person.
Full details can be found on the website here.
More Boozy Content
Maybe it’s just the time of writing (a cold November), but it feels like a Winter warmer is needed.
So, we’re taking this opportunity to direct your to our other boozy content firstly at the Staropramen Brewery in Prague and Healey’s Cyder Farm in Cornwall.
We’re also planning to publish our Brooklyn Brewery tour blog post in the coming weeks from our trip to the Big Apple.
Keep your eyes peeled for that.
