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MYSTERY OF THE SILENT POOL REVEALED T
Sshh… the very essence of the Surrey Hills is being captured, distilled and bottled here
he Silent Pool at Albury is a magical place. It’s easy to conjure the legend of wicked King John chasing the saintly maid till she
sank beneath the water. Or to imagine that the spiralling tubes and gleaming copper cauldrons in the old barn nearby, are where ancient alchemists are chasing the dream of turning base metal into gold. Fuelled by wood from Albury Forest,
Juniper, Kaffir Lime, Bergamot, Linden, Elderflower, and water from the Silent Pool spring are being lovingly distilled into an aromatic hand-crafted gin in a hand built still. The Silent Pool Distillery has just launched its first national gin after the runaway success over Christmas of its initial gin, Albury Limited Release, an exclusive to the Tillingbourne Valley. Now the Silent Pool Gin, marketed in teal coloured bottles with king and maid among a tangle of botanicals embossed in copper, is making its name on the international stage. Passengers on the maiden voyage of the brand new P & O liner Britannia toasted the occasion with Silent Pool Gin. It was selected for Britannia’s bars even before it was available in shops. The Company recently won a UKTI prize to attend an innovation Expo in Milan this May.
Pallets of Silent Pool Gin have already been shipped to Denmark and the UK with orders from Italy, Sweden, France, and the Middle and Far East. The team has also been asked to do gin tastings for Eurostar First Class passengers at St Pancras Station. This award winning local company is being talked about on the other side of the world while still a mystery in Surrey. The distillery buildings are recently finished but the dream has become a reality surprisingly quickly for founders Ian McCulloch and James Shelbourne, both local residents. Converting redundant farm buildings at Sherbourne Farm on the Albury Estate in winter 2014, by December they had a very distinctive spirit ready for sale. Head Distiller Cory Mason renowned for his creativity and distilling expertise was given the brief to distil the essence of the Surrey Hills. After a lot of experimentation Silent Pool Gin was created and the Team are particularly proud of the fact it is entirely hand-crafted at the Silent Pool, from the blending of the botanicals right through to the bottling of the spirit.
Outside the Still House a terrace has been built overlooking the Silent Pool. It will be a magical place to sit and sample the spirits and soak up the romance of the legend.
Silent Pool Gin is available from Taurus Wines, Bramley | Guildford Wine Company, Shalford | Kingfisher Farm Shop, Abinger Hammer | Ranmore Wines, Ranmore | The Vineking, Reigate | The Vineyard, Dorking | The Farm Shop, Denbies and from the distillery itself:
www.silentpooldistillers.com. If you are interested in the magic going on beside the Silent Pool, come along to the distillery where the team will be delighted to show you around. For more information contact Ian McCulloch on 01483 229136 or
ian@silentpooldistillers.com
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surreymagazineonline.co.uk
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