After more than 300 years, Newton’s law of gravitation is still palpable at a revolutionary Cambridge distillery. On a warm January afternoon, I pedalled down cobblestone streets in Cambridge, England, to a path along the River Cam towards the village of Grantchester. Passing wooden punts in the river, through the weeping willow-fringed Grantchester Meadows, a setting that's inspired many an artist, including Pink Floyd , I set out in search of a spirit with a certain pull.
But what I found instead was a gin with gravitas. Inside a white-brick building, I entered the lofty Cambridge Distillery , which offers tastings as well as a peek into the inner workings of what's been called " the world's most innovative distillery ". With beakers, round-bottom flasks and white tables, the distillery looks more like a chemistry lab than a traditional distillery outfitted with copper alembic stills.
Named after its namesake English hometown, Cambridge Distillery was founded by William and Lucy Lowe in 2012. The company has since grown from the UK's smallest distillery to one of the largest dedicated vacuum gin distilleries in the world. Unlike the average distiller, William is a Master of Wine , a distinguished title held by just 416 people around the world.
(He's also an Ironman triathlete, a Kung Fu black belt and now a Master Distiller and PhD student at Cambridge.) Inspired by oenology and driven by a desire to bottle the seasonal scents and flavours of the surrounding Grantchester .