11 of the best gin distilleries in Europe and the UK you can visit for tours & tastings
Jul 12, 2019
Whether you already have a holiday planned to the region or fancy a gin-themed getaway with your best gin pal, these European and UK gin distilleries are definitely worth a visit.
Tour these unique buildings and see how their gin is made in copper stills, learn about the process, and of course, you’ll need to taste some of the product! Happy travels, gin-lovers.
Nestled in the countryside of Cornwall on England’s southern coast, is Southwestern Distillery, the incredible distillery behind the now-world-renowned Tarquin’s Cornish Dry Gin. Craft Gin Clubbber’s will also remember just how amazing Tarquin’s Cornish Christmas Gin is from their December 2018 Gin of the Month box.
Southwestern Distillery’s The Tarquin’s Cornish Gin Experience (£18 per person) lasts ninety minutes includes a G&T on arrival, a guide through Tarquin’s history, a masterclass on gin botanicals and a walking tour of the distillery, with lots of gin tasting of course.
It’s hard to imagine a more dreamy setting than that of the Sabatini Gin Distillery. Perched overlooking the undulating Tuscan hills sits the Villa Ugo, a family manor house that has now, for several generations, been the home of Sabatini Gin - which we chose as our very own Craft Gin Club Gin of the Month back in January 2018.
Guided tours include tastings and will introduce you to the Italian botanicals grown in the villa’s own garden that go into the gin, including olive leaf, lemon verbena and wild fennel.
With its gorgeous, now-iconic glass gin bottles and incredible flavours, the Isle of Wight Distillery’s Mermaid Gin range is taking the gin world by storm. If you are yet to try a Mermaid Gin then you can find the signature Mermaid Gin, Mermaid Zest Gin and Mermaid Pink Gin on the Craft Gin Club online shop here!
The Isle of Wight Distillery doesn’t do Mermaid Gin Tours, however, they do have the next best thing: The Mermaid Bar! From the bar, you can see the Mermaid Gin stills at work as you sip away at a Mermaid G&T and enjoy a nibble or two from their delicious food recipe. It’s definitely worth the trip!
Deep in the heart of the Black Forest you’ll find the Wild Monkey Distillery, producer of the quirky Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin. A 2-hour guided tour of this impressive distillery includes two Monkey Tonics, a discount voucher redeemable in the distillery shop, and tastings of both the Schwarzwald Dry Gin and the Sloe Gin all for €47.
Sat high above Whitby on Yorkshire’s magnificent coastline, right next to the famous Whitby Abbey, the Whitby Gin Distillery is a must-visit location for gin lovers. Whitby Gin The Demeter Edition was Craft Gin Club’s October 2021 Gin of the Month and we have adored the amazing team at Whitby Gin since long before then.
At just £20 per person, the hour-long Whitby Gin Distillery Tour includes a G&T when you get there, an in-depth tour of the site with a run through Whitby Gin’s intriguing history and how they make their gin, and you even get a free glass to take home with you. It is not to be missed!
Located in a fairytale lakeside setting and surrounded by snow-dusted pine forests, Hernö Gin was the first craft gin distillery in Sweden and went on to become the most-awarded gin producer in the whole of Europe, winning more than 80 international Master and Gold Medals - not to mention the gong for Boutique Distillery of the Year!
In fact, we were lucky enough to work with this super-talented team to create a bespoke limited-edition gin just for Craft Gin Club members back in July 2016 - what an honour! If you fancy visiting the distillery, there are regular guided tours, which include a tasting of 4 different gins and a welcome cocktail on arrival. The price? 450kr per person (that’s just over £36 per person).
Brindle Distillery, home of Cuckoo Gin (including the Cuckoo Solace Special Edition Gin in Craft Gin Club’s May 2021 Gin of the Month box), resides on Holme Farm in the Lancastrian countryside, just outside the village of Brindle.
Their guided Cuckoo Gin distillery tour lasts two and a half hours and is an in-depth look at the distillery and Cuckoo Gin, with five different gin and tonics included with your ticket, along with a £5 discount on any 70cl bottles of Cuckoo Gin bought on the day. For just £30 per person, it’s a gin fan’s dream!
The extraordinary history of the family-run Nolet Distillery reaches back more than 325 years. You can now take a tour of the distillery to understand how the origins of the company - back in 1691 - have threaded through the business until the present day.
Fun fact: the reception area is within the 'De Nolet' tower mill, the tallest windmill in the world.
Fun fact #2: gin is not the family’s only area of distilling expertise; they are also behind the world-famous Ketel One vodka.
Fun fact #3: Nolet’s Reserve Gin uses both verbena and saffron, the most expensive spice in the word, in its production, and Carolus Sr., the 10th-generation distillery owner, approves each bottle of the gin before it is bottled, to ensure the quality!
The city of York is full of history, intrigue, fantastic foodie spots and York Gin! You can visit the York Gin Distillery shop in York city centre every Friday and Saturday for a fabulous evening of gin tasting and touring through the history of their stunning craft gins. For £30 per person, you get two delicious G&Ts and the chance to try five of the York Gin range, all guided by their team, of course. The tasting lasts for around an hour and makes for a fantastic evening!
In the meantime, York Gin Chocolate & Orange Gin is a must try!
As befits a Finnish enterprise, the idea for Kyrö Distillery Company was conceived in a sauna by a group of friends with a shared love of spirits! Originally specialising in rye whisky, the distillery has gone on to produce some outstanding gin - including the fantastic Napue Gin that we included in our Craft Gin Club August 2017 Gin of the Month box (and which, incidentally, won “The World’s Best Gin for Gin & Tonic” at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) in 2015 and in 2016…)
You can visit the distillery throughout the year for tours and tastings as well as unique cocktails based on locally sourced ingredients. There’s even a ‘Kyrofest’ drinks festival that takes place at the height of summer, in mid-August.
If you ever find yourself in Devon, then you need to check out Salcombe Distilling Co.’s fabulous gin school. It’s the perfect way to tour their distillery and history whilst enjoying a G&T and getting to make your very own 70cl bottle of gin at the same time.
At £110 per person, it’s a great way to learn how to distil gin and get to know the inner workings of one of the UK’s best distilleries. The experience was even awarded “Best Small Visitor Attraction” at the South West England Tourism Excellence Awards. Be sure to give it a go!
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