Gin lovers are invited to indulge in one of Gloucestershire's most unique food and drink experiences — the opportunity to make your own gin at Piston Distillery's Cheltenham Gin School.
Pair up with a fellow gin enthusiast to create a totally bespoke recipe, picking your ingredients from a selection of over 70 individual botanicals and distilling it yourself using mini copper stills, ideal for anyone who's curious about the alchemy of distillation or simply loves a gin and tonic.
Step inside the Staverton-based distillery, where Piston's large-scale production takes place, for a three-hour session in the Gin School — a striking industrial-style space set above the working distillery and an enclosed mechanics' workshop, with a display of cars sure to please any petrolheads.
Greeted by an expert distiller — and a Piston Gin and tonic, of course — you'll discover the history and heritage of gin, from its early uses in the 1600s to its modern day resurgence, before learning all about the gin making process.
Back at your workstation, experiment with botanicals to create your own flavour, following the distillation process inside your copper still before bottling up your unique creation with a customised Piston Gin School label.
Gin school graduates will then get to taste the fruits of their labour, seeing how it compares to Piston's award-winning products. There's a fully operational cocktail bar on-site, too, so you can stick around for another drink or two before taking your bottle home.
Piston keeps a record of all the recipes, too, so you can re-order your bespoke gin from the distillery time and time again, if you're particularly proud of your special concoction.
First founded in Worcester in 2018, Piston Distillery challenged old school methods to create its smooth and inimitable gin recipe, which has won numerous awards and been described as a 'true modern classic'.
The company expanded in 2023, opening its Cheltenham Gin School at its Staverton headquarters, near Gloucestershire Airport, in April; followed by its second Gin School at its flagship Worcester store in August.
Best enjoyed as a pair, Piston's Cheltenham Gin School experience costs £150 for a double workstation; while single workstations are available for £115.
To book, visit pistongin.com/cheltenham-gin-school.
