What did you do before launching Still Sisters and your distilleries? Hannah and I worked with our Dad in the family business of liqueur making! Our Gin distilling journey started in 1996, surrounded and immersed in the world of liqueurs! Hannah comes from an accountancy background, and Tori comes from retail management. Our Dad is an engineer and worked for Babycham and Showerings in Shepton Mallet. So much of our childhood involved having a good party and gathering friends and family. We are from the west country and have some of the best cider producers! The 80s, when I was growing up, were pretty special for my sister and me. What made you decide to launch Still Sisters, and what's the inspiration behind your gin? In 2019, having worked in the family business for quite a few years, we wanted to create a new brand and a product with more provenance - we want to collaborate and shine a light on some of our region's fantastic growers and producers. Being from Somerset - the cider apple collab with Perry's (another family business) seemed the perfect partnership!
What is the story behind your brand name? Still Sisters is a play on words. - It describes 'Sisters' who use a 'still' to make Gin and Rum, and it also highlights the broader meaning of sisters where women support each other and create a community of acceptance around great-tasting drinks. It's been challenging and not an easy road to where we are now - anyone who works with family will know! But despite it all or in spite it all - we are ultimately and will always be - Still Sisters. Can you tell us more about your distilleries and stills? We incredibly now have two sites! Both with 50 litre copper stills - true micro distilleries! Our first site and Head Office is based in Frome and our second site is in Witshire's county town - Trowbridge. Our micro distilleries are super small and intimate - we designed them so that you can see the still in action and ultimately be part of the experience.
Can you tell us more about your botanicals and distillation process? We distill in a 50 litre copper pot and our botanicals for our Gins are picked, grown and sourced locally. Organic watercress from the beds of Warminster, Dabinett Apples (cider apples) from Perry's cider orchard, and roses grown in Chard. The journey begins with a neutral grain spirit, often made from barley or corn. This blank canvas is the foundation for the complex tapestry of flavours we weave. Our botanical selection is where the magic happens! Beyond juniper, we select a variety of botanicals, including coriander seeds, angelica root, citrus peels, and more. Each gin has a secret recipe, a carefully guarded combination of botanicals that defines its personality. First we macerate the botanicals directly in the spirit before using vapour infusion, with the alcohol vapour passing through a basket of botanicals, and both methods contribute distinct nuances to the final product.
What can visitors experience when visiting the distillery for a Tasting Experience or Gin School? We welcome you to explore our Gins through our Gin Tasting experiences (book online)! You'll be greeted with a warm welcome and introduced to our captivating collection of gins, accompanied by our detailed gin tasting notes. Then discover the botanical palette used to craft our gins and receive an intimate account of the meticulous distillation process. Once you have indulged in the flavours and knowledge our gin tasting provides, it will be time to choose your favourite Gin and Tonic combination. Or you can join us for an exclusive experience of creating your own spirits at our Gin and Rum schools (book online! Indulge in our signature G&T or Rum cocktails before creating your recipe from our extensive collection of botanicals. Guided by our experts, you'll learn about the intricate dimensions each botanical contributes to the final product. You'll have a dedicated 2.5-litre copper still for three immersive hours. Throughout the experience, enjoy a board of locally sourced cheese and charcuterie, and you'll take home a bottle of your 70cl London Dry Gin, a testament to your newfound expertise and creativity. What are your favourite ways to drink your gins? Always with a very simple Tonic Water (no flavoured Tonics - the Gins have plenty of flavour already!) and always with fresh garnishes! A slice of cucumber with our Watercress Gin, fresh apple with our Somerset Dry Gin, and a raspberry with our Rose Gin. A rose lemonade with our Rose Gin is also a lovely pink variation which our customers love!
Desert Island Gins: Which 3 gins would you take with you?
Oooooo, it's so hard! Our Watercress Gin is my absolute favourite! But other than our own gins, I'd take Tarquin's Gin, Hendrick's Gin and Ophir Gin. What is your ambition for Still Sisters in the years to come? We have recently opened a second site in Trowbridge on the High Street to help rejuvenate and bring people out into the High Street and town. The idea is that we are creating a community and a safe place for people to come. We are working with charities close to our hearts - Fear Free and Secondary Sisters and our aim is to help raise funds and awareness for these communities. We have many events scheduled to encourage more people to come out and meet up, from silent discos and quiz nights to 'sip and paint'! We would like for our brand to be known and seen as a company that bought/brings people together - we would like to see a community of sisters up and down the UK! It's not just about the Gin for us - it's about something bigger - community and people. What's next for you and Still Sisters - any exciting plans? We have just launched our 0% Botanical Spirit using the same distillation process and our organic watercress, which we are super excited about. Watch this space for more... we are growing fast, we just need our legs to catch up! You Might Also Like...
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