SB meets… Patience Distillery
As the UK prepares for the clocks to ‘spring’ forward this weekend, we sit down with Maxime Esmenjaud, co-founder and head distiller of Patience Distillery, to dive into the creative process behind the brand’s newest seasonal release: Spring Gin.
Could you walk us through the concept and tasting notes of Patience Spring Gin, and share how you selected the botanicals for this expression?
Our Spring Gin is the first of four seasonal blends that we release each year. For Spring we wanted to create a spirit that evokes that first flush of seasonal growth – something light, fresh and gently fragrant.
We use cold distillation under vacuum, which really comes into its own when trying to capture the delicate flavour of cucumber or fresh herbs. The low temperature means we can gently extract the essence of each botanical in a way that traditional distilling doesn’t allow.
The Spring blend really makes the most of this technique – featuring forced rhubarb from a fifth-generation Yorkshire producer, fresh basil, zesty lime and a twist of sea salt from a small sustainable producer on the Isle of Skye.
How does Patience Spring Gin, and the subsequent releases planned in the series, fit into the broader vision and philosophy of Patience Distillery in terms of innovation?
We embrace seasonal variation and like to think of spirits as many would think about wine. The liquid should reflect the growing conditions of the place in which the underlying ingredients were produced.
Creating four gins that are reflective of the four seasons has allowed us to indulge in a detailed exploration of the flavours our distillery equipment can produce. We’re excited to see where that exploration will take us as we work on pastis and vermouth blends we hope to release in the future.
In what ways do you think the arrival of each season influences people’s taste in spirits? What do you think consumers will be expecting from this release?
Our palates and preferences change throughout the year – what you feel like in a summery pub garden is not what you reach for by the fire in November. Embracing that by creating four distinct gin blends gives consumers the ability to really savour each season.
With the March sunshine we have been enjoying in the UK, it does create that desire for a refreshing drink that heralds warmer days, lighter evenings, and new growth. We think Spring Gin does a great job of capturing that feeling.
What can consumers expect from membership of your gin club?
We introduced an annual gin membership last year which proved popular as it allows members to get a full size bottle of each of the four seasonal blends before their official release dates, and to select the exact bottle number they will receive each time. It’s appealing if you have a lucky number, for example!
It’s a lovely way to explore our vision of the seasons captured in gin. We’ve just relaunched it for 2025 and members can expect a personalised membership invitation, cocktail suggestions, tasting notes, and other little treats throughout the year, alongside the four seasonal bottles at a discounted price.
How important is the rarity and exclusivity of this release to the overall experience of enjoying this gin?
Quality comes first and foremost at Patience Distillery so being able to focus on releasing just 100 bottles per blend allows us to maintain that laser focus. Consumers can be assured that each bottle contains only the purest hearts of each distillation, hand-blended, bottled and labelled in house.
There’s a pleasure in knowing that it’s a taste of one specific season, produced with the utmost care. There’s also a pleasure in anticipating the release of the next seasonal blend, particularly if it’s become a personal favourite.
Since the gin is described as ideal for spring gatherings, what cocktails would you recommend making with it for those looking to celebrate the season?
For those that enjoy a longer drink, a Cucumber Collins is a great option that will feel green and refreshing. Likewise, a Gin Gimlet which will really bring the zesty lime of the blend to the forefront of the palate. With a lower ratio of juniper in this blend compared to our other seasonal gins, the more delicate botanicals really get a chance to sing!
Patience Spring Gin was awarded a Master medal in The Gin Masters 2024. To purchase one of only 100 bottles of this year’s release of Spring Gin visit: www.patiencedistillery.com/collections/spring-gin.
And, you can join Patience Distillery’s annual gin membership and secure a bottle of each of their four seasons of gin here: www.patiencedistillery.com/collections/join-the-2024-club.
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