Celebrating Local Suppliers – Portsmouth Distillery

At Spinnaker Tower, we are on a journey to work with a range of local suppliers located within the 23 mile radius of our breath-taking view both within in our retail and catering services, giving our guests a real taste of Portsmouth.

The Portsmouth Distillery is located at Fort Cumberland, an 18th Century National Monument on the eastern tip of Portsea Island, surrounded by the sea and centuries of naval history. Here Portsmouth Distillery, lovingly distil delicious Fort Gin, using three key botanicals grown within the Fort (gorse flower, elderflower and sea radish) alongside twelve other carefully selected botanicals. As well as a UK first – a fantastic 1968 Rum using sugar cane from Costa Rica. They also hand pick Hampshire apples to create their beautiful Fort Cyder. Their spirits are at 41% abv, because they are made in a pentagon Fort, and 4+1 = 5!

The Portsmouth Distillery Vision

Although the principal driver for embarking on this project is rum, Portsmouth Distillery are passionate about the artisan spirit movement and giving Portsmouth its own distillery and range of spirits for the first time in hundreds of years.

The founders have always had a real passion for rum, and through their years in the industry, selling and tasting this versatile and flavoursome spirit it seemed the natural thing to do to start producing it. Initially to fill an ever-growing need in the market for fine quality small-batch artisan white rum, but with an eye to laying this down to age, playing the long game, to have world-class aged sipping rums in the future.

They have also developed a world class Gin, to give Portsmouth its own Dry Gin for the first time in centuries.

Sharing Our Spirit

The distillery was set up to once again produce accessible high-quality spirits on the island of Portsea, where the last time a distillery was in operation was in the eighteenth century. So where better to give a rebirth to a spirit company than in the impressive eighteenth century Fort Cumberland.


Fort Gin with Nautical Zest


Portsmouth Distillery lovingly distil handmade small batches of fine Portsmouth Dry Gin using a recipe based on five key botanicals three of which are Elderflower, Gorse Flower and Sea Radish, foraged from the grounds of the Fort. When these are combined with their own blend of aromatic botanicals, they produce an exceptional gin which has a rich, full, floral bouquet.

The Portsmouth Distillery Rum


Through years of drinking, collecting and dealing in fine sipping rums, Portsmouth Distillery have developed a clear understanding of what makes a great rum. It is made using a secret recipe derived from cane products, fermented for a few weeks in the ancient and atmospheric arched casemate, before being double distilled to produce a world-class small batch artisan white rum. Some of this rum is then laid down to age in French Oak barrels in the ancient powder magazines of Fort Cumberland, less than 100m from the sea.

Building the Dream

Starting a distillery from scratch, as you might imagine, is not an easy task, it requires real commitment and belief in your abilities and products. Through hard work and dedication, coupled with a passion and meticulous attention to detail, Portsmouth Distillery aim give Portsmouth a group of spirits they will be rightly proud of. We have opened our account with two exceptional products: Fort Gin and 1968 white unaged rum.

To be in with a chance of winning two tickets to Sunset Sundays for the date of your choice as well as a special Portsmouth Distillery Prize, visit our Facebook page, like our page, share our competition post and tag the person you would most like to join you and why!

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