Discover Our Process
Production
A singular vision
It took me a decade of distilling to become happy with my own work and I am still learning. The development of my own practice has been one that has continually drawn me to working in a way that celebrates the guiding of a natural process rather than trying to strictly control them.
Local Fruits
Working with a small and trusted team of local farmers means that we only receive fruit for our eaux de vie in its best years and at that absolute moment of perfection. Logistically challenging, yes, but the concentration of pure essence in our eaux de vie also magnifies flaws in equal amounts. This means that we must take every berry, pear, quince and plum, hand grade and carefully clean it. The fruits are gently crushed and fermented.
Wild Fermentation
This slow fermentation is purely by the wild yeasts on the fruit that come from these local orchards. A succession of different local yeasts on each fruit provides not only their own independent character but links us closer to the landscape in which they originate. Decisions are made on whether to include parts of the fruits that I describe as “noble”, including stems, stones and pips. Rather than trying to replicate artificial fruit flavours we are looking to capture eaux de vie that elevate and preserve true flavours of both fruit, parent tree or plant, and the landscape in which they grow.
Distillation
Once fermentation is nearly complete, the fruits are transferred to the distillery. Further processing is sometimes required, for example, plums are sieved from their stones moments before distillation. This leaves just a hint of their almond flavour without covering the delicate spice hidden within the flesh. Respecting the ingredients, the fruits are transferred gently into our small custom copper still. Heated by 100% renewably sourced power it is clothed in a water bath, removing the risk of scorching. The choice of copper rather than cheaper stainless steel serves two roles. A superb conductor of heat, it allows a gradual transition of flavours as they evaporate within the still. Secondly it binds undesirable flavour components to its surface, part of the alchemy and art of distillation.
A first distillation concentrates the essence of our fruit to create the "low wines", a spirit of 15-30% ABV. After several first distillations, the low wines are combined and once again distilled, either to concentrate them further or for the final spirit run. Here each flavour comes across in strong bands as we reach individual molecules' boiling points. Experience and a sensitive nose are key.
The first section, known as the "heads" are highly volatile, undesirable and are rejected. A rapid change to the "hearts", where the true beauty of the spirit lies, our goal in distillation. Finally, heavy and fatty, the "tails" are removed. At this stage the essence of up to 3,000kg fruit can be in our 180 litre still – a year’s endeavour can be destroyed by the wrong decision in 20 seconds. Unlike other distilleries we do not recycle either heads or tails. This process of extracting as much ethanol as possible for commercial reasons is against our own ideals. Therefore, despite retaining only a fraction of the alcohol we start with, we create the highest possible standards.
Natural Fermentation
Every piece of our local fruit is meticulously hand graded and cleaned. Gently crushed, a slow, wild fermentation follows.
First Distillation
A first distillation concentrates the essence of our fruit to create the "low wines", a spirit of 15 - 30% ABV.
Spirit Run
With the essence of up to 3,000kg of fruit in our final distillation, all decisions are made by nose and taste. This ensures we capture all the vitality, delicacy and intricate perfume of our fruits.
‘The results are remarkable, with an intensity and delicacy that is hard to convey on paper. What Wilczak is doing seems closer to perfumery than distillation as we understand or usually experience it.’
Ian Buxton. Best-selling Drinks Writer and Commentator.
Garden Swift
Our Garden Swift gin follows a similar process. Hard spices, berries and herbs are soaked in our neutral British wheat spirit for 40 hours. We then suspend fresh blood orange zest and a rich mix of flowers and fragrant leaves above the liquid, their aroma gently extracted by the rising steam. 34 ingredients in all come together in a slow 7 hour, carefully guided, distillation. It creates a sum much greater than its parts.
And to rest.
Whether being aged in barrels or remaining as pure clear spirits, a long wait in our warehouse allows the development of the spirit, the creation of new aroma compounds and the development of truly exceptional Eaux de Vie and gin.