Sipsmith Co-Founder Sam Galsworthy On Crafting London's First New Gin In 200 Years

The story of Sipsmith is a pretty impressive one. In 2007, two childhood friends from Cornwall, England, the wonderfully-named Fairfax Hall and Sam Galsworthy, decided to set out on a mission to bring gin back to London. Amazingly, no traditional copper pot gin distilleries had opened in the city since 1820 due to arcane laws, and after years of petitioning, Hall and Galsworthy were finally granted permission by the city to start distilling again. So they enlisted one of the world's leading experts in gin (and all spirits, really), an American named Jared Brown, to help craft the recipe and serve as master distiller, and Sipsmith was born.

At their Chiswick distillery, Hall, Galsworthy, Brown, and their team are turning out a London Dry Gin that's as faithful as possible to the way it's supposed to be made: A variety of 10 botanicals (inspired by a recipe in an eighteenth-century book found by Brown called The Art of Distilling) are macerated for at least 14 hours in three copper pot stills, the mixture is distilled, and the "heart" cut (the most desirable part of the distillate) is brought to bottling strength with water and is bottled. It's handmade in small batches using the less-common "one-shot" method instead of concentrate, and the copper in the still affects the gin on a molecular level, smoothing out the flavor. Sipsmith produces three gins: London Dry, VJOP (Very Junipery Over Proof), and Sloe Gin.

A controlling interest in the company was acquired by spirits giant Beam Suntory last December, which will ramp up distribution, especially to the U.S. The production process won't be affected at all, but there's a good chance that you'll be seeing Sipsmith at your local liquor store, if you aren't already. We had the chance to chat with Galsworthy about the company, the production process, and what the future holds in store.

The Daily Meal: What inspired you to dip your toes into the world of gin distillation?
Sam Galsworthy: I have always been a gin drinker, I grew up on it. When we first founded Sipsmith in 2009, we saw an opportunity, a problem I felt deserved correcting — in London, the home of London dry gin, there was only one working copper still!

What gaps in the market did you identify that led you to realize that you could carve out a niche for yourselves?
As I mentioned, there was only one working copper still in London set from 1820, which could not possibly produce enough for global consumers. We saw how the world was moving, consumers wanted to know more about provenance products and if done properly, gin should be no different. So we set out into the world of gin, carving a niche for ourselves.

At the time, gin distilleries were banned, so we lobbied fervently and Sipsmith became the first traditional copper distillery to open in London in nearly 200 years!

What differentiates Sipsmith Gin from other gins?
It's not what differentiates you from the others, but what makes you distinctive. And what makes Sipsmith distinctive is we stand behind the point of making gin the way it used to be, the way it should be.

Sipsmith is one of the few gins in the world made using the one-shot method, copper stilled in small batches and heart cut by hand.

We set about reviving this renaissance of gin in London that inspires people to think differently about gin. Our philosophy and how we represent gin is unique, created using a classic recipe and methodology from the 1800s.

What botanicals are used in its production?
Sipsmith is produced using a set of 10 classic botanicals, left to macerate overnight delivering a supremely smooth and characterful London Dry Gin.

In a world of different gins, we had an opportunity to take our own path and use a classic recipe to create a modern gin. To us, it is most important that Sipsmith be anchored in tradition, stand the test of time and remain over the next 200 (plus!) years.

Why had it been so long since gin had been distilled in London?
Since the 1800s, London had only one large gin producer due to outdated laws. We felt very strongly about bringing London Dry Gin back to its home. We passionately lobbied and in 2009, Sipsmith become London's first distillery in nearly 200 years. We're humbled to have sparked this gin renaissance — GINaissance if you will! — and as a result, today there are about 12 or 13 gin distilleries in London.

What exactly is "one shot" gin, and how does it affect the gin's final flavor?
The one-shot method, a distillation technique of the legacy distillers of the 1800s, uses a precise recipe of botanicals for a single batch which are added to a pot still so that the result is the final distillate without ever diluting with an additional neutral spirit. The benefit to this method is extraordinary smoothness as the spirit has been cleansed with only copper.

Concentrate is the most common method, when you use multiple amounts of botanicals for a single batch so that what comes out of the still is not the final distillate, but then needs to be stretched with the addition of a neutral spirit that has not touched copper.

What impact will the acquisition by Beam Suntory have on Sipsmith's production and operations?
It's exciting to work with a partner like Beam Suntory to enable the global growth of Sipsmith and get our gin into the hands of people keen for great gin. We will never compromise on the philosophy or methodology we have implemented in the production of Sipsmith over the last nine years.

So more Americans will be able to find it at bars and liquor stores near them?
They certainly will! We are thrilled to officially launch Sipsmith nationwide and our gin will be available at restaurants, bars, and upscale retailers throughout the U.S.

What are your favorite ways to drink gin?
Well, it depends on the time of day and the kind of day you're having. Nothing rivals a good martini, that's definitely my number one way to enjoy gin.

I also love the classics — Negroni, gin and tonic, French 75. You really can't wrong!