From the start, my vision was to craft a Cornish gin distilled with the incredible array of native plants foraged from the meandering coastal paths. A true expression of where the gin is from, and evocative of Cornwall’s year-round natural, wild beauty.

As many of you might know, the primary botanical in gin must be juniper, but beyond that, a gin can include any other ingredients the distiller desires. This led me to explore many botanicals that were under the radar of most distilleries.

Presented with this abundance of choice, the challenge of understanding these unique flavour profiles began. For instance, what happens to gorse when it's distilled? Or rock samphire? How do these ingredients evolve in the still?

I explored the cliff-tops, coves and brooks surrounding Lantic Bay, with a foraging book in hand and eyes peeled to the ground. I collected my findings and returned to distil them in a little copper pot still. It was a journey of trial and error. Often, promising discoveries would transform significantly from their original flavour and aroma during the distillation process.

After many rounds of distillation, I not only honed my understanding of these flavours and aromas but began the next task of creating a botanical blend that would sing in harmony together.

This process allowed me to create the first original Lantic Gin, named in honour of the bay where I did most of my early foraging.

Lantic Gin is crafted with nine traditional gin botanicals, alongside six locally foraged herbs and flowers. I’d succeeded in bottling a piece of the wild Cornish coast that I am fortunate to call home.

Since its creation, Lantic Gin has received wonderful accolades, including the silver medal award from the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) with a score of 91/100 – an achievement I never imagined when starting out, let alone my first gin. Their tasting notes, which we still cherish and use today, are:

“Delicate and inviting floral and juniper notes come through on the nose. The smooth palate has a complex herbaceousness that is brought to life by hints of spice and citrus. The finish is long and luxurious.”

If not already, I hope you can taste some of it soon.

Chapter 2 | Building a Recipe