One might think that Oscar Wilde wrote the basic recipe for my gin with his famous quote. You actually don't need much to make a world-class gin. But what is definitely very important is a clear vision. And what you use and do on the way to the gin must simply be the best. No compromises.

My vision was to revive the great, legendary gins from earlier years.

But what does it take to do this? How must a gin be made for it to be enjoyed neat, like a good single malt? How must it be to perfectly showcase legendary cocktail classics like the Martini? And how must a gin be to reveal its unique flavor in a gin and tonic? Can ONE gin fulfill all these requirements at the same time? Wharfdale Gardens can.

The Copper Still

In 2021, I purchased my own distillation kettle, a beautiful old copper still with a 60-liter capacity. I exclusively fuel it with at least two-year-old Austrian beechwood from a friend in the neighborhood.

The Recipe: Less is More!

But before diving into distillation, I adhere to my (strictly secret) recipe. I use the finest juniper I could find as the primary botanical, along with coriander, angelica root, and a few other botanicals. I won't reveal much more because it's not about cramming as many exotic botanicals into a gin as possible. Less is more. Nothing should distract unnecessarily from the classic gin. However, I have discovered a truly special secret ingredient. It enhances all the positive qualities of classic gin, taking them to an unmatched level.

Good Things Take Time

Once all the botanicals are gathered, it's time to wait for them to blend perfectly. Then, the copper still comes into action. Gentle, slow, and careful heating brings out the essential oils best. And as if by magic, the fresh gin starts to slowly drip from the tap: oily, dense, and intense.

Before bottling, the gin gets ample time to rest, making it exceptionally harmonious. I have the perfect resting place for it: a centuries-old clay cellar with a brick vault. There, a constant temperature has reigned for ages, undisturbed by anything.

Quality Doesn't Need a Filter

When it's perfectly balanced, it's bottled. But before bottling, something important happens, or rather, something "doesn't" happen to it. My gin is not filtered. This non-filtration is a crucial step because every filtration process removes ingredients and, more importantly, flavor components. Many large and small producers use cold filtration, a method that removes the majority of natural fats and oils from gin to eliminate cloudiness and ensure uniform flavor profiles. However, I choose to support and preserve the gin's natural, distinctive taste and body by forgoing cold filtration.

Due to the non-chill filtration, Wharfedale Gardens Gin may become slightly cloudy when mixed with ice - a mark of flavor quality. It is thus both fuller-bodied and more flavor-intensive.

Handcraft to the Finest Detail

Then, I seal the bottles with a special copper sealing wax and apply the labels – every single step is done by hand.

The beautiful presentation tubes are crafted with painstaking care in a castle bookbinding workshop just a few kilometers away from me.

Each individual bottle is also hand-numbered and is a genuine one-of-a-kind piece.

Once all the botanicals are together, I wait for them to perfectly marry. Then the kettle comes into action. Careful, slow and gentle heating brings out the essential oils best. And like magic, the fresh gin starts to slowly drip out of the tap: oily, thick, and intense. Wharfedale Gardens Gin is also not filtered, so that every valuable flavor and scent can remain in the gin. A real natural product.

Before the gin is bottled, it is given ample time to rest. This makes it particularly harmonious. I have found the perfect resting place for this: a many centuries old clay cellar with brick vaulting. There, the temperature has been constant for ages and nothing disturbs the gin.

When it is perfectly balanced, it is filled into bottles. Then I seal the bottles with a special copper sealant and attach the labels - really every step is done by hand.

The beautiful presentation tubes are made by a castle bookbinder a few kilometers from me, in many steps and with loving handwork.

Each bottle is also hand-numbered and is a real unique.