The gin world is moving at such a pace, it feels like there’s a small chance that, if you took a moment to put the kettle on or were to stare for too long at the pictures on this page, some enterprising soul might set up a new distillery in your garden shed while you’re distracted.
So, it’s infinitely impressive that Distillers of Surrey has already elbowed its way into a prime position on the lists of many discerning gin drinkers, despite only being a year old.
Based in Ripley, Distillers of Surrey was highly commended in the Surrey Life’s Newcomer of the Year category in 2018 after only a few months in the public eye.
It should have perhaps been no surprise, as there’s plenty of pedigree behind this producer.
“My family has a background in the alcohol business, with my father, David, being a prominent Champagne and wine connoisseur,” says Simon Sherlock, who runs the business with his wife, Lianne.
“I spent 15 years between the police and military before I ventured into the spirit business at Silent Pool Distillers, near Albury, ultimately becoming head distiller there. It wasn’t until Silent Pool that I truly fell in love with the craft and passion that goes into making a handcrafted spirit.
“It takes real skill and patience to distil, and I was lucky enough to be mentored by master distiller, Cory Mason.”
Passion for gin
Simon’s passion for small batch products led him to launch his own distillery and, inspired by his and Lianne’s three sons (Hamish, Charlie and Monty), Distillers of Surrey now has a trio of Sherlock & Sons gins at the core of its range.
For the uninitiated, these are: Solstice, which is light and floral; Aromatic, which has a more savoury profile of olives, rosemary, tea and bay among other botanicals; and Nautical, which features lime and angelica seeds.
“We set out from the start with an uncompromising focus on quality and to source the finest ingredients available,” says Simon.
“For our Aromatic edition, for example, we sourced from olive groves in Sussex (yes, really!), rosemary and bay leaves from Surrey and tea from the UK’s first plantation in Cornwall.”
The Sherlock mantelpiece already boasts an impressive collection of awards and trophies; as well as the Surrey Life commendation, there was a Gold for the Aromatic edition in the World Gin Awards’ London Dry category and Simon was recently installed into the Gin Guild.
Part of the village
Like many start-up businesses, Distillers of Surrey operates from an almost cottage industry-like set up with their equipment and storage in various convenient locations around their home village.
This means that, for the time being, the best place to meet Simon and Lianne is at monthly farmers’ markets such as Ripley, Cheam, Milford and Godalming.
They are, however, hoping to find a more permanent home soon.
“We’ve had a strong start and the trajectory looks to continue that way,” says Simon.
“We are currently exploring new premises opportunities, to allow us to expand into distillery tours and collaborate further with other Surrey food and drink businesses for pop ups and events.”
So, don’t mind us as we pour a G&T, settle into our favourite armchair and raise a toast to Distillers of Surrey and all the other hard-working producers keeping summer drinks cabinets topped up with exceptional tipples. Cheers!
- This article originally appeared in Local Food Britain's monthly Meet the Producer food and drink column in Surrey Life magazine.
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