Once upon a time, all distilleries were small.

Whether they made whisky or gin, the two spirits traditionally distilled in the UK, the scale of these historic operations was modest, in many cases domestic.  Distilling was carried out at home as a means of preserving fruit, preparing simple medicines and, of course, supplying alcohol for drinking.

Then came legislation, increased technology and consolidation in the distilling industry: small-scale craft distilling was relegated to the pages of the history books.

But now, as we look for more authentic, artisanal and individual products, it’s making a comeback. Some enterprising new distillers have sprung up to re-create a traditional approach to an essentially simple process and their products have been enthusiastically embraced by cocktail mixologists and discerning drinkers.

The trend back to small-scale distilling started in Scotland, where the idea of making your own whisky on the farm had not been entirely forgotten. On Islay, the most famous whisky island in the world, Anthony Wills converted derelict farm buildings to create the Kilchoman distillery.

Now his first whiskies have waited the regulation three years in oak barrels, he’s releasing his single malt and watching it walk out of the door at an impressive rate. Supplies are now on allocation and collectors are paying two and three times the launch price for a bottle of his Inaugural Release.

Others soon followed – the Red River (or Abhainn Dearg) distillery on the remote island of Lewis in the Hebrides and the Daftmill distillery in Fife. This latter is particularly interesting as the Cuthbert family who farm here have been able to finance the construction, fit-out and initial production themselves and are therefore keeping their whisky until it is fully matured before releasing it to an expectant market.

Farming was traditionally where much distilling was carried on and, with Norfolk a prime barley growing area, it’s not entirely surprising to find England’s first whisky distillery in over one hundred years at Roudham where Andrew Nelstrop is producing at the St George’s distillery. Alarmed Scots should note that the stills and the first distiller came from Scotland.

But it’s not necessary to have a farm to run a distillery. Gin was traditionally the spirit of England and, in the eighteenth century, much (of dubious quality) was produced on a very small scale, leading to gin’s questionable reputation.

Today, several boutique distillers have opened their doors in London including  Sipsmith’s in Hammersmith, where small batches of gin and vodka are made, and perhaps the most unusual new entrant, Sacred Spirits Company of Highgate. Everything here is truly home-made.

There Ian Hart, a former head-hunter, is distilling gin and vodka to recipes dating back to 1660 but using an ultra-modern low temperature vacuum distillation method to keep the essential botanicals (the flavour ingredients) super fresh, lush, creamy and aromatic.

So, if you want to start your own distillery, don’t despair. These pioneers prove that it is possible and that an eager crowd may even beat a path to your door. Just don’t forget to tell the taxman what you’re up to.

Ian Buxton

Take a quick look at a bottle of Scotch.  Chances are it has an age on it somewhere – 10 Years, 15 Years, even 25, 30 or 40 Years.

What does it mean?  Why is it there?

In actual fact it’s telling you quite a lot.  On Scotch – and only on Scotch – that number represents the age of the youngest whisky in the bottle. In the case of a blend, and even some single malts, the oldest whisky might be a great deal older.

People get confused though.  Some people think it’s the oldest whisky; some the average age.  According to some new research from Chivas Brothers (the people behind Chivas Regal, Ballantines, The Glenlivet and a number of other single malts) only 10% of drinkers actually know what it really means.

So they’ve launched an educational campaign – Age Matters – to clear up the mystery and emphasise the positive message in the numbers.  After all, it’s consumer protection when you think about it and a guarantee of quality.

Except it isn’t quite that simple.  As I’ve mentioned before in these posts, quality in whisky is a complex matter: the quality of the initial spirit obviously matters and then the wooden cask in which it’s matured plays a huge role.  Any quality of spirit in a poor barrel is never going to work out and you can age the finest whisky for as long as you like in a worn-out cask and it will never fulfil its potential.  Factors such as warehouse temperature and location just complicate things further.

So the Chivas campaign which, to be fair, simply tries to get the uninformed 90% of buyers to first base, has attracted a fair amount of abuse in the blogosphere from the cognoscenti.

And, to add to the fun, other distillers such as Glenmorangie (Signet) and The Macallan (1824 Collection) have recently been launching their own premium styles with no age statement.  “It’s all in the wood selection,” they say.  Cynics suggest that may just be because they lack the aged stock that their Chivas rivals clearly still have available.

Don’t despair.  For most whiskies and most drinkers, older will – crudely – be better (and more expensive).  If you’re buying me a present the 25 Year Old will do nicely, and a 40 Year Old will impress!

But it’s little wonder than some enthusiasts feel the industry’s messages resemble orders from the Grand Old Duke of York.  Having been marched to the top of the age hill, they’ve been marched down again!

Ian Buxton

Nothing remarkable in that you may think, except this whisky is whiskey, rye whiskey in fact, and it’s nearly 150 years old.

So what is it? How did it survive? And what on earth does it taste like? (And, perhaps, where can I get some?)

What I’m drinking is from the ‘Hannisville Cache’ – a small parcel of rye whiskey distilled around 1863 by Hannis Distilling of Philadelphia. That company survived until around 1919 (there’s more about them here).

Rye whiskey is the original American style. Right now it’s undergoing a modest revival, having been nearly wiped out by a combination of prohibition and Bourbon’s post-War popularity. But innovative small craft distillers have reinvigorated a great craft distilling tradition and once again rye whiskey is relatively available.

But back to my glass. The Hannisville Cache comprises several carboys of rye, bourbon and gin that were found by the redoubtable David Nathan-Maister of Finest & Rarest, who makes it his life’s mission to discover rare, unusual and lost distilling gems.

In this case, the rye whiskey was believed to have been distilled around 1863 and held in oak casks for some 50 years. In 1913 the casks were purchased by a John Welsh of Philadelphia, formerly US ambassador to the UK. He had the spirit transferred into glass carboys and stored by the Merchants Cold Storage and Warehouse Co of Providence, RI. There it lay undisturbed for virtually a century. Once in glass, spirits don’t age, but they don’t noticeably deteriorate either, making this an exceptional time capsule for vintage spirits enthusiasts.

It passed through the family until purchased by Fine & Rarest last year. They have transferred the two carboys of rye (and some gin) into 200 ml sample flasks (around a quarter of a normal bottle) which you can find on their website at www.finestandrarest.com

The first impression on the nose is of overwhelming vanilla, then very ripe bananas. The aromas are sweet and heavy, very complex and constantly evolving. But they’re deceptive – in the mouth the whiskey is quite drying; it’s oily (that’s good), with dark orange notes and rich spices. It lasts a very long time in the finish and unusually for a very old spirit the taste profile hangs together with the addition of a little water, releasing mint and herbal notes (ginger and liquorice are evident).

It’s not the greatest whiskey I’ve ever tasted, but it’s probably the most memorable. It’s an incredible and probably unrepeatable experience to drink any spirit of this age and I’m quite emotional as each drop passes my lips.

Ian Buxton

Ever wondered what ‘London gin’ means?

Until recently, the answer would have been ‘not a lot’. Unlike Plymouth gin, which is a legally-protected term permitting distillation only in that fair city, London Gin simply denotes a style that can be made anywhere.

In fact, much London gin (including many big brands and cult favourites such as Hendricks) is made in Scotland and the sole producer of any scale or brand significance remaining in London is Beefeater, which distils in Kennington. But now smaller producers are fighting back with distinctive London gins, often on a boutique, hand-crafted scale. And, crucially, made in London.

This move to limited expressions was led – quite fittingly – by Beefeater with its premium Beefeater 24 style, launched in 2008. It incorporates rare teas in the botanicals for a distinctively English twist.

This year it’s been followed by the even more interesting and distinctive Beefeater Summer Edition. Like Lodger’s shoe of the month, it’s a case of use it or lose it – the style, which adds a selection of summer plants such as elderflower, hibiscus and blackcurrant to the standard Beefeater botanicals, will only be available this summer. It’s a cooler, lighter gin that’s ideal for cocktails.

Other newcomers include Oxley (from Bacardi, but you’d never know); Sipsmiths; Old Tom from Jensen, which attempts to recreate a sweeter style of spirit popular in the 19th century; and Sacred Gin, which is – almost unbelievably – distilled by hand in Highgate.

Oxley and Sacred Gin both employ a highly unusual cold distillation process, which aims to preserve more of the taste of the botanicals, resulting in a taste that’s surprisingly fresh and quite true to the base ingredients. Either can be sipped neat, though most will be used in cocktails.

Quite lavishly packaged, and expensive at around £45 for a bottle, Oxley is aimed primarily at the US market but can be found in trendier London outlets.

No less exclusive, but rather better value at £30, Sacred Gin has already collected a number of awards and attracted the attention of cutting-edge cocktail maestros. Sacred is produced using 12 different botanicals including juniper (the staple ingredient of all gin), cardamom, nutmeg, and Boswellia Sacra (aka Hougary Frankincense) from which the brand name is derived. Distiller Ian Hart also offers enthusiasts the opportunity to create their own personalised gin by selling bottles of individual distillates. You then mix to your own recipe for the ultimate, but probably unrepeatable, martini.

Sipsmiths is the creation of distiller Jared Brown, who makes just 500 bottles (or less) at a time in a custom-designed pot still which, entirely co-incidentally, is housed in the Hammersmith building formerly the offices and tasting room of the late and great Michael Jackson (a noted drinks writer, not the singer). Here Brown produces an interpretation of the classic London Dry style that nods to its heritage and emerges as a particularly dry gin with a wonderful burst of juniper and a zesty, citrus freshness.

Finally, just down the road from Lodger, the fine wine merchants Berry Bros & Rudd have just launched their  No. 3 brand of London Gin. Named after the address of their long-established shop in St James’s Street, No. 3 is designed to be the perfect ingredient in a classic dry martini. The distinctive, fresh citrus notes come from orange and grapefruit peels and a touch of coriander. Cardamom and angelica add a dry, spicy taste and juniper completes the recipe. Made in London naturally for Berrys, London’s archetypal gentleman’s wine merchant, distillation is a batch process in traditional pot stills.

Look out for news of an exclusive No. 3 tasting to be held at Lodger soon, when you can try this new entrant for yourself and celebrate the rebirth of a true London classic.

Ian Buxton

Apart from great craftsmanship and tradition, the answer is a simple yet incredibly important one. It’s water. The processes of tanning, glass making and distilling all use huge quantities of water and yet, in the West, we hardly give that particular resource a thought.

But in Africa and other less fortunate nations, water shortages are a real issue and a severe constraint on economic and social development. In fact, some 443 million school days are lost each year due to children having to collect water or suffering from water-borne disease. The lack of it affects the lives of almost a billion people every day.

Full marks then to Lalique Crystal and The Macallan single malt whisky, who have combined in a unique and stylish way to provide funds to build village wells in the developing world.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Rene Lalique’s birth, Lalique have created a very special one-off ship’s decanter by the ancient ‘cire perdue’ or ‘lost wax’ method, exclusively for The Macallan. It’s inspired by their spiritual home at Easter Elchies and the beauty of the Speyside distillery. The Macallan then filled it with their oldest and rarest 64-year-old single malt (on which you can hardly put a price) and together they’ve taken it on a world tour.

It may be seen – briefly – at Lalique’s boutique in Conduit Street before it travels on to Moscow, Seoul, Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and Beverly Hills, before ending in New York on 15 November.

There it will be auctioned and the entire proceeds donated to charity: water, a non-profit organization bringing safe and clean drinking water to people in developing nations. In just 3.5 years, charity: water has brought clean drinking water to over one million people in 16 countries. www.charitywater.com

The auction of The Macallan Lalique decanter is anticipated to add a substantial six-figure sum to the cause. Think about that next time you admire the fine leather of your Lodger brogues, or add a splash of water to your whisky!

Ian Buxton

A lucky group of Lodger customers and friends enjoyed exposure to a different type of craftsmanship recently at a special Highland Park whisky tasting.

Gerry Tosh of Highland Park visited Lodger from Orkney to explain the whisky-making process and guide the group through different ages of the eponymous single malt whisky – rated “the best spirit in the world” by critic Paul Pacult.

Starting with the 12-year-old, Gerry outlined the importance of peat smoke (so critical is it that the distillery harvests its own peat and uses three different types to extract just the flavour it wants) and selecting the right sherry casks for maturing the whisky.  It can then wait for 40 years or more before the distillery decides it’s ready.  But a little is lost in evaporation every year, making the older whisky ever more exclusive and expensive.

Moving from 12 years to 15, 18, 25 and finally 40 the whisky grows in complexity and depth of flavour. Just like a Lodger whole-cut, Highland Park’s secret is in almost obsessive attention to detail; meticulous quality control and a willingness to respect tradition whilst challenging convention.

The tasting included something on the history and geography of Orkney; the correct glassware to employ; the tricks of tasting (never swirl a glass of whisky, apparently) and the importance of biscuits. Nearly two hours later several bottles were empty and guests were considerably the wiser.

Read more about the distillery at  www.highlandpark.co.uk

Words by Ian Buxton/Photography by Andy Barnham