Wednesday 13 December 2017
Suppliers
What products do you supply the Old Stocks Inn with?
You can find quite a few of our gang behind the bar; the award-winning Cotswolds Dry Gin, the newly-arrived Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky, the enigmatic 1616 Barrel-aged Gin and the embarrassingly drinkable Cotswolds Cream Liqueur.
Why do you enjoy working with the Old Stocks Inn?
It was just clear to us from the start that these guys knew what they were doing and cared about quality. We like to think we’ve got a lot in common with them - that brilliant blend of traditional Cotswolds with up-to-date touches is something we’re really passionate about too. We pride ourselves on traditional distilling kit and techniques, but with a modern understanding and some innovative ideas. Plus, they’ve come up with some brilliant cocktails with our products!
What do you think makes the Cotswolds area so special when it comes to food and drink?
It must be to do with how many exciting independent producers there are in the area – chefs and bartenders are spoilt for choice. And it’s mutually beneficial; the producers in the area provide top-quality produce with clear attention to detail and provenance, and the local chefs and bartenders have allowed these small producers to thrive because they’ve supported them and really showcased what these small brands are doing. It’s a great community to be part of!
Please tell us more about the Cotswolds Distillery’s background
Unusually, we’re all new to distilling! Dan, our founder and CEO, worked in finance for 30 years and was desperate to get out of that world and do something tangible he could be passionate about. He loved whisky, and had been really impressed by the craft distilling movement in the US, where he’s originally from, but he couldn’t work out why nobody was making whisky on a small scale in the UK. When Dan decided to open the first full-scale distillery in the region he transformed a derelict site in Stourton and began production just a few months later. We’ve been distilling gin and whisky pretty much every day since.
What makes you stand out from the crowd?
We wanted to create spirits that capture the stunning environment we work in, so we’re using 100% Cotswolds-grown barley for our single malt whisky and Cotswolds lavender is one of the key botanicals in the Cotswolds Dry Gin. And importantly, we wanted to make sure that all the people visiting the Cotswolds could come and see us distilling and taste everything we make, so we run tours of the distillery every day, three times a day.