York Distillery to make world class gin within city walls for first time

World-class Gins Coming to York's City Walls

World-class gins will be made within York's city walls for the very first time, as plans for a new distillery are unveiled.

The new York Distillery from the makers of York Gin’s range will include a working distillery, a gin school, and tasting classes.

Guests will have the opportunity to see the gins being made, make their own gin to take home, and learn tricks and tips of gin and spirit tasting.

Bosses hope the York Distillery will open in the grounds of the beautiful Middletons Hotel on Skeldergate in the summer of 2024.

York's First Legal Distillery

Since the first gin was launched in 2018, every drop of the entire York Gin range has been made within the city of York.

Owners York Drinks say York Gin established the city’s first legal distillery - as many illegal gin makers have existed in York over the centuries.

If approved, the plans mean York Gin would now be made actually within the city walls for the first time. And given York Gin's reputation, it would be a first for world-class gins being made inside the city walls.

Some of the World's Finest Gins

The gins are accepted as being some of the very best in the world.

They have won countless gold medals at the world’s top spirits competitions, including Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for the Navy Gin and Old Tom securing a gold outstanding medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition.

York Gin London Dry is Good Housekeeping magazine's Best Gin For 2024. York Gin Roman Fruit was named as a Best Buy in BBC Good Food magazine’s Christmas edition, and every gin in the range made the influential Gin Guide’s top 10 lists for 2023.

York Drinks operations director Natalie Hall said: 'The new city centre distillery will provide a fantastic addition to York’s tourism offer. But we expect locals and hotel guests will embrace the York Distillery, too.

'The gin-making classes will provide a brilliant educational and fun activity for three hours. And our hugely successful five-star gin tasting experiences - currently hosted in the York Gin shop on Pavement - will be housed in a more comfortable, purposely-designed and inspiring location.

'We are delighted to be working with such a beautiful and iconic property as Middletons Hotel for the York Distillery. We both share the same ethos of providing unforgettable experiences and fabulous customer service.'