The Locksley Distilling Story
Locksley, founded by husband and wife John and Cynthia, have been distilling premium spirits for nearly eight years and Sir Robin of Locksley, a distilled artisan gin, was their first and flagship product. When it launched, there was nothing else like it on the market… put it simply, it is a smooth sipping gin that needs no mixer (although it is gorgeous in a G&T).
Fast forward to 2020, and Locksley’s small (but exceptionally passionate!) team have continued to bring the unexpected to the spirits world. The team are passionate about offering gin-lovers something a little bit different and, as a result, add a unique twist to all of their products, making them quirky, memorable and, most importantly, delicious.
The Gin Range
The Sir Robin Of Locksley Gin is their original creation and is a true English sipping gin with up-front juniper and more delicate aromas of elderflower bubbling through. Deliciously smooth and round on the palate cassia notes add warming depth while soothed pink grapefruit adds an underlying sweetness and lingering citrus finish.
When pink gins first exploded onto the scene, John refused to simply chuck berries into a product they already had and, unbeknownst to him, Cynthia was already working on something behind the scenes (and his back!). She was experimenting with different flavour combinations and, almost by accident, hit on something that she absolutely loved. Thus, their Real Raspberry and Cardamom Gin was born! Once again, surprising the ginthusiastic palate with a savoury, almost dry gin, hidden in something that you would expect to be sweet.
The third of the core range is another product that has never been done before, John had the brilliant idea to combine two old styles of gin together in one bottle. Their VSOT is a Navy Strength Old Tom, the sweetness and strength balance each other perfectly.
The Perfect Serve
The Locksley team are often asked what their “perfect” serve is, but they believe that everyone’s palate is different!
A great way to start is with a neutral tonic accompanied by one of the botanicals in the gin that you’d perhaps like to elevate, which is why pink grapefruit is a common garnish for Sir Robin. Classic flavour pairings that contrast the gin botanicals also work; grapefruit is lovely contrasted with herbs such as rosemary or tarragon.
There is definitely a place for flavoured tonics as well… Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic works beautifully with their original gin, and the team lovingly refer to this combination as “Sunshine in a Glass”.
Cocktails
It’s undeniable that Sir Robin of Locksley Gin is also a great addition to a variety of classic gin cocktails; Negronis, Gimlets, Bee’s Knees and Clover Club to name a few!
Cynthia and John love to experiment by making slight “tweaks” to these classics to make them their own… changing to proportions, substituting a fruit, adding an egg white, this is all about trial and error!
They even find inspiration in their herb garden; that ‘something missing’ is frequently some fresh muddled rosemary, sage or thyme.
The Gin To My Tonic Says…
We’ve grown really close with John and Cynthia, and in our opinion they truly embody the word craft. Integrity, passion and a flare for flavour, these guys travel the ends of the UK in order to share their creations with gin lovers in person. There are no flying unicorns, shimmers, or gimmicks in these creations. Just good quality gin that you can enjoy neat, as a G&T or cocktail. This puts Sheffield firmly and prominently on the gin map.
