Craft distillers and best friends Tom Warner and Sion Edwards make artisan gin in small, handcrafted batches in a 200-yearold converted barn on their farm in Harrington. Warner Edwards Distillery, established in December 2012, produces premium, double global award-winning gin, stocked in independent retailers, wine merchants, bars, restaurants, hotels and stores including Fortnum & Mason.

Their original dream centered on utilising their family farms and working for themselves and, initially, the distilling duo were going to produce essential oils. The intention was to grow crops such as lavender and then extract the oil. To facilitate this process you need a still and, being ‘practical lads’, Tom and Sion started to think of ways of using the still for the rest of year; this led them to alcohol and Warner Edwards Distillery was born.

After over three years intense research and planning the pair both gave up successful high-flying positions in the produce industry to put everything into launching Warner Edwards Distillery and thus creating one of very few authentic artisan distilleries in the UK. The distilling duo wanted to make a classic aromatic gin, smooth enough to drink neat. The gin’s intense smoothness is derived from the beautiful bespoke copper still, ‘Curiosity’, handmade for Warner Edwards by the Holstein family in Germany.

Tom and Sion fully distill the gin using the farm’s natural spring water and also fi ll, number, wax seal and label every single bottle by hand on-site. Despite being launched just over a year ago by the distilling duo, The Warner Edwards Distillery has become a home-grown spirit success story. Within months of launching their fi rst gin - The Harrington Dry Gin - they were winning awards including a silver medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a silver medal in the International Wine and Spirit Competition. They subsequently created an elderfl ower-infused gin for the summer, which swiftly sold out.

The distilling duo was then delighted in the autumn to discover they won a gold award for their gin in the New Local Drink of the Year category in the Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2013/14.

Devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership, the competition is now in its fi fth year and celebrates local produce and drink in the county. To celebrate their fi rst anniversary, Tom and Sion launched their latest unique creation: a limited edition Harrington Sloe Gin,
priced at £27. This delightful tipple has been made using handpicked sloes collected by a ‘berry brigade’ of fruit pickers who took part in the Warner Edwards Great British Sloe Swap.

People donated their berries in return for bottles of the sloe gin and other mementoes. The Harrington Sloe Gin was introduced just in time for the festive season but would also make an ideal Valentine’s present for the one you love!

Tom and Sion are kindly offering readers of Village Connect the chance to win a bottle before the romantic day. To enter, simply email your details to Amanda O’Hare at Rocket This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday 7th February 2014. Winners will be notifi ed within seven days of the draw. Terms and conditions apply, visit www.villageconnect.com for details.

For more information and to fi nd your nearest stockists of The Harrington Gins, please call or visit our website.

WARNER EDWARDS DISTILLERY
Falls Farm, Harrington NN6 9NU
Tel: 01536 710623
www.warneredwards.com

Warner Edwards - United in Spirit

Warner Edwards - United in Spirit