How it all started

Our Story

The Botanical Engineers

We make Pickering's Gin in the distillery we built ourselves, from scratch, in the heart of Edinburgh. When we opened Summerhall Distillery, it was the first exclusive gin distillery to be established in Edinburgh for over 150 years.

Believe it or not, this multi-award winning gin only came into being in 2013. As fate would have it, Marcus had recently inherited a gin recipe from a friend of his late father. Add to that our mutual penchant for a good gin, and the next step seemed obvious.

Never mind that we didn’t, strictly speaking, have a distillery. We rolled up our sleeves and built one.

Never mind that we had no background in distilling. We tried, tested and experimented until we were experts.

Never mind that everyone told us it couldn’t be done. We got on and did it.

And so began the story of the Botanical Engineers.

Pickering's Gin Distillery

Let's take a trip down memory lane

Starting all the way back in 1947, let's look at Pickering's Gin key milestones throughout the years.

July 1947

The beginning

On the 17th July 1947, our recipe was written down in Bombay India. Kept as a family secret for over 66 years it resurfaced when we began distilling.

March 2014

Pickering's Gin

Pickering's Gin was born! Did you know that the first bottle of Pickering's Gin was sealed with Babybel wax?

July 2014

Navy Strength

Pickering's Navy Strength Gin hit the shelves in July, becoming The Official Gin of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

July 2015

Original 1947 Gin

We proudly introduced Pickering's Original 1947 Gin alongside The Edinburgh Military Tattoo, while simultaneously spreading our wings internationally.

November 2016

Gin Baubles Launch

Add your stoWho could forget November's frenzy as our Pickering's Gin Baubles flew off the shelves in a mere 82 seconds!ry or description here.

August 2017

Scottish Botanicals

Just in time for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, we launched Pickering's Gin with Scottish Botanicals, clad with tartan to celebrate our first ever Scottish Gin.

April 2020

Beijing Gin Bar

We proudly opened Beijing's first-ever Gin Bar spreading the Pickering's magic to distant lands.

June 2019

Refill Scheme

Our new bottle refill scheme gets the green light, allowing Ginfriends to replenish their Pickering's Gin bottle(s) from our refill tanks.

April 2020

Lockdown...

During a worldwide lockdown we were able to spend time improving our tours. We built our very own workshop filled with special and unnecessary projects.

March 2022

Entering Europe

Expanding into Europe, we continued to spread the Pickering's legacy far and wide across Holland, France and Spain.

August 2022

Gin & Tonic Cans

August ushered in the release of Pickering's Gin & Tonic Cans, released for The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

August 2023

The Speakeasy Experience

Just in time for The Edinburgh Fringe Festival we launched a brand-new Speakeasy Experience, transporting visitors back to the roaring 20s!

March 2024

A Decade of Pickering's

Pickering's Gin turned 10 years old! As you can see, a LOT has been achieved in its first decade.

Pickering's Gin Recipe

Handwritten in India. Handcrafted in Edinburgh.

Pickering’s Gin is based on an original Bombay recipe, dating from 17 July 1947. Kept as a family secret for over 66 years, it only resurfaced when we began distilling at Summerhall in Edinburgh.

The original recipe gave us a gin full of fragrant spices and fresh citrus fruits – just the way they liked it in the days of the Raj. But by 2013, people were expecting a softer, smoother style of gin.

So Matt engineered a bain-marie heating system for our 500 litre copper stills (well of course he did).

This is the secret to our gin’s perfect balance. Once we have carefully prepared and measured our botanicals, we add them to the grain spirit in the stills. Here they enjoy a slow luxurious simmer, which coaxes out their subtle, soft, highly drinkable flavours.

Our award-winning Pickering's Gin is engineered from 9 botanicals: Juniper, coriander, cardamom, angelica (cinnamon in Pickering's Original 1947 edition), fennel, anise, lemon, lime, and cloves.

Pickering's Gin Tours

Pickering's Gin Jolly

Our signature gin distillery tour in Edinburgh where we open the doors to the fascinating and quirky world of Pickering's Gin. See the original Indian recipe written down in 1947 and learn how we make our delicious small batch gins.

Pickering's Gin Chronicles

Enjoy a whistle stop tour of our working gin distillery in Edinburgh before heading up to our boardroom to discover the interesting origins of gin. As we move through time you'll be served a G&T, a classic cocktail and several samples.

Cocktail Craft Masterclass

Guests will explore various spirits each week, ranging from rich whiskies to artisanal gins. Joined by our expert mixologists, you'll learn the intricacies of flavour pairing, crafting three signature cocktails, and the techniques that elevate your drinking experience.

Cheese and Cocktail Masterclass

Guided by our expert mixologist and cheese enthusiast host, you’ll embark on a journey full of flavours that excites the senses and immerses you in the rich local heritage of Edinburgh's Food Scene with both locally crafted spirits and cheese.

The Scottish Explorer

Savour the best of Scotland’s larder in the heart of Edinburgh, from rich, locally smoked salmon and hand-crafted cured meats to traditional farmhouse cheeses. Each bite is perfectly paired with drams of Scotch whisky, locally brewed beers, and small-batch gins

Pickering's Original 1947 Gin

Shop Pickering's Gin

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