A tour of Devon’s creative craft spirit scene

Devon is home to some of the country’s most creative spirits – and, as I discovered on a recent trip through the picturesque coastal county, the people behind them are just as intriguing. 

In Salcombe, you’ll find gin inspired by the Salcombe “fruiters” (ships) and created in collaboration with Michelin-starred chefs; across the headland in Hope Cove, there’s a family farm turning King Edward potatoes into vodka; just up the coast, past Exeter, is the world’s first carbon negative distillery; and turn to the north and you’ll find a gin crafted with local meadowsweet, whortleberries and heather.

This emerging creative craft spirits scene goes hand-in-hand with tasting experiences, masterclasses and a host of excellent bars in which to indulge in a tipple, making this corner of the UK the perfect spot to explore. In these troubling times, we could all probably do with a stiff drink or two – combine it with some of the country’s most beautiful coastline, and you’re on to a winner.

I begin my spirit trail through Devon on a surprisingly sunny October afternoon at Salcombe Distilling Co in the upmarket resort town of Salcombe (also known as Chelsea-on-Sea). The converted boathouse is one of the world’s only distilleries accessible by sea, and vessels bob prettily on the water below. It’s a fitting location given that the spirits here are inspired by the area’s shipbuilding heritage. Lined up on the table in front of me is a flight of four different spirits – including a Salcombe rum – all of which have been crafted in the impressive 450-litre copper still showcased behind glass at the back of the bar.

The distillery was founded by Angus Lugsdin and Howard Davies in 2014, and they launched their first gin, Start Point, two years later. The classic, citrus-led dry gin took inspiration from the history of the Salcombe fruiters, small clipper schooners that were built to race back to the UK with cargoes of perishable fruit from abroad. 

“We visited the Salcombe Maritime Museum and looked into the cargo manifests of the fruiters,” says Lugsdin. “We found that they used to bring all the citrus fruit in, including pomelo, which is one of the botanicals we use.” Other concoctions – including a soon-to-be-launched Sea Mist cocktail “atomiser” – feature coastal botanicals, such as locally foraged samphire.

As I work my way through the tasting under the guidance of a master mixologist, I quickly learn more about gin, tonics and garnishes – as well as the history of Salcombe – than I ever thought possible in an hour.

A tasting is just one way to improve your knowledge. There’s also a gin school in an on-site distilling laboratory, which offers the opportunity to play distiller for the afternoon. Guests craft a recipe from citrus, herbal, floral and spice botanicals, and create their own gin in a mini copper pot still – unfortunately, it’s such a popular experience that it’s fully booked during my short stay.

Lugsdin and Davies aren’t the only producers to take inspiration from the history of Devon and its rugged coastal landscape. For Leanne Carr, founder of Cove Vodka, inspiration comes from her family farm in Hope Cove, a small seaside village west of Salcombe. She established the brand after returning to Devon last year when she was made redundant from a marketing job. “My family has been growing potatoes for over 50 years. They said, ‘Why don’t you join the family business?’,” she recalls. “I said, ‘Only if you want to make vodka’.”

Since then, she’s developed a potato vodka, which won silver at the International Spirits Challenge this year; and Cove Damson Liqueur, made from Cove Vodka and West Country damsons – perfect for mixing with an English sparkling wine to make what Carr playfully calls a Cove Royale. She recently launched a set of cocktail kits, and later this year she’s got plans to develop a coffee liqueur with Salcombe Brew to give espresso martinis a local twist.

While you can’t yet visit the family farm or distillery – something Carr is hoping to change in the future – you can find the fruits of her labour in many of the area’s bars and restaurants. Drop by the Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa to try it, paired with sweeping views over the estuary waters. “There’s nothing quite like a cocktail by the sea,” says Carr. I’d have to agree.

My next stop takes me from the seaside to an industrial park near Exeter Airport. While it’s certainly not as pretty, it’s home to one of the world’s most innovative distilleries. Run by husband and wife team Russ and Gemma Wakeham, Two Drifters Distillery lays claim to being the world’s first carbon negative distillery.  

Russ has a PhD in organic chemistry and has spent many years working on carbon capture and utilisation technologies around the world – which accounts for the abundance of glass labware in the distillery. When the couple returned to Devon in 2018 to raise their daughter, they decided to combine their sustainability know-how with their love of rum.  

The tour begins with a “Devon Stormy” – a regional take on the classic Dark and Stormy, made with Two Drifters rum and local ginger beer – and a whirlwind of fascinating facts. 

The entire distillery is designed to minimise CO2 emissions, from the custom equipment to the electric van used for local deliveries. Waste molasses is donated to a local farmer for feed and even the tamper seals on the bottles are biodegradable. Impressively, they calculate exactly how much carbon is produced by each bottle of rum, from field to glass, and off-set that with Climeworks, a Swiss company that captures CO2 from the air and turns it into stone to store underground. “Every decision we make has a CO2 implication,” says Russ. “It’s the focus of everything we do.”

When the Wakehams set out, they were unsure of the viability of a rum distillery, so they also produced beer. Just four months after the launch, however, they converted the brewery and made the shift to rum exclusively. “We underestimated just how much demand for rum there would be,” recalls Russ. The dream is to eventually open a visitor centre and distillery in Devon – both completely carbon negative – to offer visitors a truly immersive experience.

During the tasting, the rums – which run the gamut from a classic spiced to a fermented pineapple – are paired with sparkling soft drinks from local producer Luscombe, strengthening the connection with Devon through other local producers.

Of course, not everyone is looking for something quite so strong – and plenty of the producers in Devon are catering to an increasingly sober population with non-alcoholic drinks that are just as spirited as their fortified counterparts. 

Salcombe Distilling Co recently released a gin-inspired 0% ABV spirit. And, during a visit to the delectable Darts Farm shop, I discover Sea Arch, a non-alcoholic spirit influenced by the south coast and crafted using traditional distillation techniques with coastal botanicals. Luscombe – the mixer or tonic of choice for many producers – was ahead of the curve. Gabriel David founded the brand back in 1997 with a mission to create non-alcoholic drinks with the same care that was put into craft spirits.

I, however, don’t mind a drink. I finish my tour on the north coast of Devon with a Wicked Wolf G&T at the Watersmeet Hotel, looking out over Combesgate Beach to Lundy Island on the horizon. Distilled around the headland, on the banks of the River Lyn, Wicked Wolf is another distillery that draws deeply on its location – its most recent offering is 1869 Lorna Doone Gin, which was produced with local botanicals to celebrate 150 years since the publication of Lorna Doone, the historical romance by Richard Doddridge Blackmore that’s set in the same valley.  

So, just what is it about this part of the country that inspires these makers? “We moved back to Devon and there was no work in chemistry research, so we just started something of our own,” says Russ of setting up Two Drifters Distillery. “And that’s the story of so many businesses around here – you want to move back but you need to create your own path.”

I’ll raise a glass to that.  

The Salcombe Distilling Co taster session is £30 per guest, including a G&T. The Gin School is £110 per person, or £160 for a couple sharing one copper pot still.

The Two Drifters Distillery tour and tasting is £15 for a 90-minute tour, including a Devon Stormy cocktail.

England is on national lockdown until 2 December, and you’ll be able to book in visits after that. Meanwhile, many of the spirits mentioned are also available online.