Sipsmith — Attraction in London

Sipsmith Distillery run tours of their distillery on the first and third Wednesday of every month, priced at a mere £12. It’s the first copper distillery in London for almost 200 years; it’s good news that London, as the home of gin, is reclaiming its fine name…

If you’ve ever been to a distillery (or vineyard or winery, for that matter) and thought to yourself “very nice, but if you’ve seen one you’ve pretty much seen them all” then this place will change your mind. Set, quite literally, in West London suburbia (you definitely are going the right way, it really is just sandwiched between two regular houses) the tiny team of six people at Sipsmith, founded by friends Sam Galsworthy and Fairfax Hall, couldn’t be more passionate about what they do, and through these sessions in their garage-cum-distillery they have set about infusing (nice gin joke there) this enthusiasm into anyone who comes their way.

These guys are true artisans, and an evening spent in their company provides a fascinating insight into the history of gin and its production, as well as a bountiful amount of G&Ts, vodka and a few speciality sips thrown in for good measure. It would be rude not to. Very smooth and full of flavour, big tick.

It’s a tiny, intimate venue with the 300L copper distiller ‘Prudence’ taking pride of place alongside curious paraphernalia and shelves of what seem to be alchemists’ potions (various experimental blends, as they later told us). All these elements combine in a wonderful, friendly, slightly gin-soaked reverie that leaves you praising the hard work of these good folk and sincerely swearing to buy better spirits in future.

And if you need something to soak it all up at the end of the night, you’re only a short cab ride from The Princess Victoria in Shepherd’s...

Hidden Gem with Heart!

You wouldn’t expect to find a gin distillery tucked away on what looks like a quiet residential street – but what a gem it is! The place is beautifully decorated, with a quirky bus bar, flowers everywhere, and such a good vibe from the moment you walk in.

We came with a group of 49 (very last-minute!), and Jess and Alex were absolute stars – super flexible, organised, and genuinely lovely.

The tour was fun, relaxed, and full of personality. We got a welcome gin and tonic, tasted two more gins, and even got two cute little bottles in a gift bag to take home. There were laughs, great stories, and lots of passion – not your average dry distillery tour!

Everyone left happy (and a little tipsy), and the shop did well too. Highly recommend – would go again in a heartbeat and I...

I am a member of the Sipping Society and it has been the worst experience ever. First the voucher didn't work, and it took numerous calls, as they rarely answer the phone, to sort it. The first gins arrived, we moved house and I changed my address etc with them. The 2nd gins arrived at the correct address, then they changed the way the society ran and it's been awful.

The 3rd gin has been sent out to the wrong address!! Yes 3 months on, with the correct address on their system, this incompetent company has sent my gin to an address we no longer live at. Yet again they don't answer the phones or respond to urgent emails.

I'd seriously give this company a miss if you're looking.for a decent gin club, as they couldn't organise a sipping session in...