Hedingham Castle unveils DeVere Finest Gin
A blend of heritage, craftsmanship and local ingredients
Hedingham Castle, nestled in the picturesque countryside of Essex, is proud to announce the launch of its newest venture, DeVere Finest Gin. Crafted in collaboration with an award-winning London distillery, DeVere Finest Gin pairs centuries-old history with contemporary processes, offering drinkers a unique taste of ancestry and craftsmanship.
Drawing inspiration from the magnificent surroundings of the 900-year-old Norman keep of Hedingham Castle, DeVere Finest Gin features an exclusive infusion of handpicked linden flowers (also known as lime blossom) which are harvested from the lime trees that grow on the castle’s ancient ramparts during a window of just two weeks of the year, and then blended with a well honed London Dry Gin, making this an entirely bespoke and unique creation.
Indeed, it is believed that British minister, Sir Issac Watts, was staying at Hedingham Castle c. 1715 when he wrote the well-known poem ‘Against Idle and Mischief’, which begins ‘How doth the little busy bee’, after watching the bees in the lime trees gathering nectar outside the castle.
The carefully selected blossoms, which practically drip with nectar, impart a delicate honey sweetness to the gin, elevating its flavour profile and resulting in a delightfully smooth blend, generating a real buzz with the visitors to Hedingham Castle, when it launched last weekend.
The gin is the brainchild of Jason Lindsay, the owner of Hedingham Castle and a direct descendant of the de Veres, the Earls of Oxford. The de Veres were awarded the estate by William the Conqueror after 1066, and started building the castle soon afterwards, playing a prominent part in England’s history for over 500 years.
Jason’s story: “I know this is a belated arrival on the well-trodden gin scene, but I had an epiphany during lockdown, realizing how amazing the castle would look on a square bottle. Talk about making a rod for your own back, but after many days of intense design meetings, I believe the results speak for themselves and we are very proud of our design. At the same time, we were all too aware that we had to create a top-class gin, and I had a number of really frustrating false starts. However I then managed to track down a proper gin expert, being Sam Galsworthy from Sipsmiths, and he said for the best gin distillers around there was really only one choice for us, which was Thames Distillers in London.
“After meeting with their master distiller, George Maxwell, I was introduced to their head chemist, Gema Zaragoza Alvarez, and we decided not to reinvent the wheel, but simply to adapt their delicious base gin using Linden flowers from our magnificent lime trees from the estate. We launched in mid-April at our Jousting weekend and the feedback from those who tried our samples was fantastic. Mellow and smooth with a subtle fragrance were the buzzwords of the day, and this has made us very excited for the future, knowing that we have created a seriously good gin.”
Thames Distillers have a meticulous crafting process for DeVere Finest Gin, having two 500-litre pot stills, Tom Thumb and Thumbelina, which are used only for gin, allowing flexibility and precision which is ideal for small-batch, artisanal gins.
Produced in small batches, each bottle of DeVere Finest Gin is a gift in itself. The square bottle, with its beautifully crafted label and gold foiling, perfectly represents the iconic architecture of the castle, as well as featuring hand drawn illustrations on the back which nod towards the estate’s long and interesting history. It is expected to be popular amongst visitors to the estate, including wedding couples, who may wish to gift bottles to their wedding party as well as take a bottle or two home for themselves as a treasured keepsake of the start of their marriage at the castle.
DeVere Finest Gin is poised to captivate gin connoisseurs and casual enthusiasts alike, offering a refreshing departure from conventional gins currently on the market. Whether enjoyed neat over ice; as the foundation for a dry martini or other cocktails; or simply paired with tonic and a slice of lemon, each sip invites drinkers on a journey through the historic landscapes of Hedingham Castle.
Tasting notes: Herbaceous Linden honey and Juniper on the nose with citrus notes coming through on the palate from the Coriander Seed. Pleasing bitterness and spice coming in the aftertaste from the savoury and Angelica Root.
DeVere Finest Gin is available now for purchase direct from the website for UK delivery; at Hedingham Castle events, as well as local fairs and vendors close to the estate.