A Leicestershire distiller unveils an exclusive and specially produced new product to provide vital funds to the National Forest.
The National Forest Gin has been hand-crafted and expertly distilled by Leicestershire based Burleighs Gin in a partnership which will provide a donation from every bottle sold to the National Forest, to support its vision for growing a better and greener future.
Working in partnership with expert foresters, Burleighs has developed a unique botanical recipe that is inspired by the new and ancient forests surrounding the Burleighs Distillery in Nanpantan, Loughborough.
The National Forest Gin is a vibrant, earthy creation featuring elderflower, blackberries and wild cherry. Using the signature Burleighs recipe as a base, bold juniper and zesty citrus have been added to create a classic gin – which is perfectly complemented by the flavours of the forest.
Sam Watson, commercial director at Burleighs Gin, said: “Burleighs Gin is situated in the heart of the National Forest, and we have always been inspired by the beauty of our historic surroundings.
“In fact, our Signature recipe was built around unique botanicals found hidden away in the Burleighs woodland adjacent to our distillery, so it’s been a great experience to elevate this further and create an exciting new product for the National Forest itself.”
The National Forest is one of the boldest environmentally-led regeneration initiatives in the country – transforming a post-industrial landscape by creating a forest across 200 square miles of the Midlands, linking the ancient remnant forests of Charnwood and Needwood.
Since the early 1990s, 9 million trees have been planted in an area that was previously one of the least wooded parts of the country.
John Everitt, chief executive at the National Forest Company, commented: “Burleighs is a fantastic example of a business which is growing with the Forest and reflects our shared vision for a greener future. We are really proud to be partnering with Burleighs to have our own unique gin and to showcase the high-quality products being made here in the National Forest.”
Inspired by the work of the National Forest, Burleighs Gin has embarked on its own mission to become more sustainable. It has introduced biodegradable and recyclable packaging to complement its existing solar powered electricity, and all glass bottles and cardboard boxes at the site are recycled via a comprehensive recycling system.
The company has invested in portable distilling benches where guests can create their very own gin using new copper stills – water is stored beneath rather than via the mains which is passed through a purification filter, ready for use in the gin making process.
Sam continues: “We’ve made significant changes at Burleighs over the last year to improve the sustainability of the company. We’re also proud of the fact that the bottles used for the National Forest Gin have been made from recycled glass – a decision that is perfectly aligned with everything that the National Forest stands for.
“The Burleighs and National Forest collaboration is an exciting development to continue our mission to make Burleighs Gin even more sustainable.”
