LAUNCHING IN EARLY 2026, THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THROUGHOUT 2025 AND WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE NAILED IT, BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK… JO SAT DOWN WITH DAVID AND ASKED A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHOOL NIGHT AND WHERE THE INSPIRATION CAME FROM.
Q. DAVID, IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU. WHERE DID THIS ALL START?
A. GOOD TO SEE YOU ALSO, JO! GOOD QUESTION. THIS ALL STARTED FROM A CONVERSATION IN THE DISTILLERY. WE WERE CHATTING ABOUT HOW IT IS “SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE” TO HAVE A GLASS OF WINE OR MAYBE A BEER ON A SCHOOL NIGHT, BUT POTENTIALLY LESS SO TO ENJOY A SPIRIT AND MIXER. WE WERE CHATTING ABOUT HOW, GIVEN THE ABV LEVELS AND STIGMA, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO CREATE A SPIRIT THAT WAS A SIMILAR ALCOHOLIC PERCENTAGE TO, FOR EXAMPLE, LONDON DRY GIN BUT WITH THE SAME BOTANICAL PUNCH.
Q. SO IF IT STARTED THERE, WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
A. BEING THE IMPULSIVE AND INQUISITIVE PERSON I AM, I THOUGHT WE SHOULD JUST TRY IT AND IN SIMPLE TERMS AND SEE WHAT IT WAS LIKE. WE ESSENTIALLY TOOK OUR LONDON DRY GIN AND CUT IT DOWN TO DIFFERENT PERCENTAGES (OUR LONDON DRY GIN IS AT 40% ABV AS WE FELT THAT % PRODUCED THE BEST FLAVOUR FROM THE BOTANICALS IN OUR RECIPE). WE TRIED 14% SO IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO WINE, BUT WE FELT THE BOTANICAL FRESHNESS OF OUR LONDON DRY WAS LOST AT THAT ABV (IT IS A BIT “NERDY” BUT IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME HOW DIFFERENT THE PROFILE OF A BOTANICAL SPIRIT IS WITH SUCH SMALL CHANGES!). WE THEN WENT TO 25% AND THOUGHT “THIS IS STILL QUITE PUNCHY IN TERMS OF ALCOHOL” AND FINALLY SETTLED ON 20% AS IT FELT LIKE THE PERFECT TRADE-OFF BETWEEN ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE AND BOTANICAL FLAVOUR.
Q. WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
A. ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION! NOT SURE, TO BE HONEST, WE REALLY LIKE WHAT WE HAVE CREATED, AND WE HOPE EVERYONE IS GOING TO LOVE IT. WE ARE GOING TO OFFER IT TO THE ON TRADE AS A NO AND LOW OPTION BEHIND THE BAR TOO.
Q. WHAT ABOUT THE FLAVOUR? IS IT THE SAME?
A. YES, IT HAS THE SAME FLAVOUR PROFILE AS OUR LONDON DRY – BUT IF ANYTHING, IT’S SLIGHTLY MORE ZESTY WITH ORANGE PEEL, LEMON PEEL AND LIME PLAYING A KEY ROLE. WE FOUND THAT WE NEEDED TO “BUMP UP” THE LEVELS OF BOTANICALS IN THE RECIPE TO ACHIEVE THE SAME PUNCHY FLAVOUR AT LOWER ABV.
School Night Gin – 50cl
DID YOU KNOW?
We wanted to create something different, something easy drinking, something light, something refreshing but most of all something at a lower ABV %. We sat in the distillery and got thinking about a spirit that could be enjoyed throughout the week rather than just over the weekend. The answer, School Night Gin… Using all the same signature botanicals as our award winning London Dry gin but with half the “oooomf”.
Are you sure?
You may be thinking, surely a low alcohol gin doesn’t taste as good? This is far from the truth as our School Night is every bit as amazing as our London Dry Gin, but with half the alcohol! You can now enjoy a low alchol version of your favourite G&T. A low alcohol gin alternative is the perfect answer if you want to enjoy our signature taste recipe in moderation – ideal for a weeknight.
THE IMPORTANT BIT
It’s the middle of the week, treat yourself to something special!
Bottle size – 50cl
Alc – 20% vol
