Have you ever wondered how gin is made? Is a G&T your drink of choice? If both your answers are a resounding yes, then Bone Idyll's Gin School may be the perfect extra-curricular. After attending this unique gin masterclass at the Bone Idyll Distillery, I can safely say this is 'schoolwork' I was happy to complete!
I, like many, I’m sure, have become rather bored of frequenting the same three pubs, cafes or restaurants for the past few years. Hence, I’ve been meaning to try something new and exciting to spice up this dreary (drizzly) start of the year.
That is when I stumbled upon Bone Idyll’s Gin School, where one can make their own bespoke bottle of gin. I had the pleasure of attending this gin-making masterclass at Bone Idyll this Valentine’s Day, and it’s safe to say it did not disappoint.
Bone Idyll is a Kingston-based distillery and bar, located just along the Thames
Owned by the husband-and-wife team Sam and Alex Berry, Bone Idyll is an indie-chic bar that distils small-batch spirits in-house, offering its customers a truly unique drinking experience.
The bar itself is cosy and personal, with an interior that blends industrial metal and luxurious leather to give the space a trendy, alternative atmosphere. No doubt the perfect environment for the master distillers we were to become!
Jess Hall
Our session was led by Joe, who kindly provided us with a (much-appreciated) welcome G&T before introducing us to the class and explaining how we would create our alcoholic masterpieces.
We began by deciding which of the 30-plus botanicals available we would incorporate into our gin.
To do this, we simply gave each ingredient a good whiff and paired complementary ingredients to suit our tastes. To aid the decision-making process, Bone Idyll has distilled a supply of gins flavoured solely with each of the 30 botanicals, which we could sample.
At this point, I must stress the importance of eating a hearty meal beforehand, or there will be rather a few lushy gin-makers present.
Unsurprisingly, given my incorrigible sweet tooth, I went for a chocolate orange inspired gin using cacao nibs and orange peel, among other citrus and floral ingredients.
Jess Hall
After our choices were finalised, we decided on the measurements for each botanical. Whether we wanted our gin more floral and citrusy or dark and rich, it was up to us.
Now, for those of us who have had one or two disastrous attempts at free-styling recipes, don’t panic. We were given measurement guidelines, and Joe was there to oversee that we didn’t make our gin too abhorrent.
Next was the fun part, measuring out our ingredients. Although reminding me slightly of a chemistry experiment, which was vaguely concerning given my generally poor performance in GCSE chemistry practicals, I thoroughly enjoyed this part.
Having created my faintly chocolate-y concoction, it was now time for the main event. We each claimed our own miniature stills (featured below), chucked the lot in with the starter alcohol and waited for the magic to happen.
In the meantime, we were given another delicious drink (a rather boozy peach iced tea) and informed on the distilling process, both in general and more specifically at Bone Idyll headquarters.
I was highly amused to discover the monikers given to the commercial distillers at Bone Idyll were entirely on brand: ‘Ziggy Sputnik’ and ‘The Artful Dodger’.
Bone Idyll
To help pass the time waiting for our gins to fully distil, we were offered a tasting of a few spectacular spirits distilled at Bone Idyll.
Beginning our tasting with the foundation of every Bone Idyll gin, their own brand vodka. Distilled in-house from grains acquired from Kent, this vodka is smooth and inviting, the perfect start to our tasting journey.
Moving on to why we were all there, the gin.
Bone Idyll offer three gin types: their London Bone Dry, a Blushing Pink Gin, and the richest of the three, their Barrel-Aged Gin. All three of these spirits are delightfully unique, their flavour profile distinct, and the botanicals used pleasantly identifiable.
Their London Bone Dry has a citrus canopy with spicy undertones, making it dangerously drinkable despite the lack of tonic. The Blushing Pink, my partner’s favourite, can only be described as the raspberry ripple of pink gins.
Alternatively, their Barrel-Aged Gin, the rich, smoky older brother of the three, ended the gin component with a bang.
Now, if we weren’t already feeling a little ‘jolly’ beforehand, their line of delicious rums was sure to do the trick. Bone Idyll have two rums available to customers, the Botanical Rum and the Aged Rum.
The Botanical Rum (hands-down my favourite of all the spirits) possesses a cacophony of flavours, with the warming scotch bonnet as the opening act, followed by a welcome finishing note of sweet banana.
Their Aged Rum is an eclectic wonder, a mix of rums from Guyana, Barbados and the Dominican Republic. It is truly a fusion of both flavour and culture.
Sufficiently sated, our gins were at last fully distilled! All that was left to do was bottle, label and name our creations. Having successfully distilled 700cl and then some, we ended the session with one final tipple of our own bespoke gin!
Jess Hall
It is safe to say I had a fantastic time at Bone Idyll’s Gin School. I left the session with a real sense of accomplishment (my indulgent chocolate orange gin tucked under my arm like a trophy), and a genuine appreciation of the distilling process that brings us such exquisite spirits.
I would highly recommend this class to anyone who has ever been fascinated by gin and the distillation process, or for those wanting to try something completely out of the ordinary.
The Gin School is held once a week on Saturdays at 1 pm. Additionally, Bone Idyll offers private sessions 7 days a week for up to 10 people.
Price: £62.50 per guest plus 12.5% service charge, up to 10 spaces per session.
Bone Idyll Distillery
Bone Idyll Distillery - Kingston
Water Lane, Kingston, KT1 1AE
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Fridays and Saturdays from 17:00 till late.
