Leading distiller helps create gin with South African inspiration

One of the world’s leading distillers, Tom Nichol, is behind a new juniper-forward London dry gin made near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire.

Tom, who was master distiller on Tanqueray gin during his long career at Diageo, worked with South African entrepreneur Bruce Midgley to come up with Brentingby Gin – named after the village where the distillery is located.

It is made with botanicals inspired by both the Leicestershire locality and Bruce’s South African background, using a 10-plate copper column still that Bruce built himself, naming it Ayanda – a Zulu word meaning proliferation.

With juniper at its core, it features classic botanicals such as coriander and angelica plus rosehip, elderflower, birch, grapefruit and hibiscus flower, creating a zesty gin with floral notes and a peppery finish.

Packaged in a copper-coloured bottled, it has ABV of 45% ABV. It is retailing at around £37 for a 70cl bottle from the likes of Master of Malt.

It was launched this week at Wolfpack, the microbrewery and tap room set up by two players from Saracens rugby cluby, Chris Wyles and former captain Alistair Hargreaves who is from Durban.