Despite typical rail disruptions, poor navigation skills and uncharged phones, Matt and Ollie stepped into the Alex’s Gin distillery in Lostwithiel (It’s in Cornwall!), they were immediately clobbered by the blend of quirky heritage, the pull of very present outside landscape and shiny traditional distillery vessels. The punchy aroma of juniper and coastal botanicals, bringing a very potent reminder of the nearby shoreline.

Form the second we spoke to Alex on the phone we knew Lantic was on our spirit shelf, he waxed lyrical about Lantic Gin’s sustainable ethos, but also long mornings foraging the local coastline for the right botanics.. Matt and Ollie were struck by the genuine passion that echoed in Alex’s every word, as they learned about the meticulous process of foraging ingredients. Not a bad start to the day in midsummer out on the high cliffs of craggy Cornish bays, but many of us fair weather visitors wouldn’t venture out on stormy rainy days.

As they moved inside, the distillation room showcased cutting-edge technology powered by renewable energy, seamlessly merging tradition with innovation. Ollie’s eyes lit up as he watched the master distiller carefully monitoring the copper stills. Matt was equally impressed by the commitment to eco-friendly packaging, aligning with their ethos of responsibly preserving the coastline, which even includes collecting plastic litter whilst out foraging.

Their tour culminated in a tasting session, the remainder of the day, as the old adage goes, stays on tour.