Northants, Leics &amp; Rutland


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-007.jpg" alt="WARNERS DISTILLERY NATURE TOUR OUTSIDE BAR FOXGLOVES" class="wp-image-49882" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-007.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-007-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-007-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<p>Whatever you might have been told about the gin craze subsiding, forget it. Gin is still absolutely everywhere, we&#8217;re practically drowning in it (yippeee!). It&#8217;s like a Hogarth etching (look it up), but more glamorous, of course. With over 800 distilleries now registered in the UK, it&#8217;s clear us Brits really love a G&amp;T and, whilst many start-up micro-distilleries come and go, no name stands out on the shelves more that <a href="https://www.warnersdistillery.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warner&#8217;s</a>, the family run Northants brand heading for global domination. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-011.jpg" alt="WARNERS DISTILLERY NATURE TOUR TOM AND TINA" class="wp-image-49884" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-011.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-011-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-011-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Tom and Tina Warner, who spearhead the business from Tom&#8217;s 140 acre family farm in Harrington, began producing their craft gin back in 2012, on a mission to save the world from mediocre drinks. Twelve years on, the close-knit team here have achieved great things when it comes to producing amazing gin, pioneering the trend for using botanicals to infuse flavour into their drinks &#8211; their rhubarb gin was the first (and best, obvs) of its kind. But that&#8217;s not all. Not only are Warner&#8217;s B-corp certified &#8211; meaning they<strong>&nbsp;</strong>meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability &#8211; they are committed to increasing biodiversity on the farm and sharing it with with the world, which is why they&#8217;re now offering <a href="https://www.warnersdistillery.com/pages/nature-tours" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Tours</a> alongside their hugely popular tasting tours, allowing visitors to experience and learn about that drive towards sustainability and why it is so central to the ethos of the brand. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe">THE VIBE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-010.jpg" alt="WARNERS DISTILLERY NATURE TOUR  Lemon Balm gin smash cocktails" class="wp-image-49886" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-010.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-010-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-010-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>It&#8217;s true that many of us (the Muddy clan being no exception) are changing our drinking habits, taking drinking back to a place of elevation, enjoying smaller quantities of high quality drinks to bookmark our routines, rather than simply chugging (who, me?) the cheapest bottle grabbed from the local  corner shop. So knowing that it&#8217;s possible to sip on locally produced gin that uses thoughtfully curated botanicals gown right here in Northamptonshire, does make it extra special. Celebratory, almost. </p>



<p>I must confess that I&#8217;d never really factored sustainability into my booze consumption until Tom&#8217;s almost evangelical tones brought it to my attention. It&#8217;s fair to say that his passion on the subject is intoxicating (pun intended), as he invites visitors into the tasting barn, plying them with beautifully mixed drinks and regaling them with anecdotes about the farm and the early years of gin production.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1775" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-002.jpg" alt="WARNERS DISTILLERY NATURE TOUR  BOTANICALS" class="wp-image-49888" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-002.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-002-169x300.jpg 169w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-002-577x1024.jpg 577w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-002-768x1363.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-002-865x1536.jpg 865w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Initially experimenting with naturally occurring produce like elderflower from hedgerows on the farm, the space dedicated to producing ingredients for the gin stretches to 15 acres of botanical gardens today and, once we&#8217;d put down our welcome drinks and steadied ourselves, our intrepid group piled into a trailer (with cushions and rugs and a built-in bar) attached to the back of Tom&#8217;s Dad&#8217;s tractor to take a tour of the bucolic and historic site. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="563" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-001.jpg" alt="WARNERS DISTILLERY NATURE TOUR TRACTOR TRAILER FARM" class="wp-image-49890" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-001.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-001-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-001-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Falls Farm is on the site of a medieval manor house, now no more, but clearly still part of the landscape here, the &#8220;Falls&#8217; referring to the steps in the landscape that show where fishponds and formal gardens used to exist and where culinary and medicinal herbs would once have flourished. These days, enough produce is gown in the botanical gardens to cover what&#8217;s needed to meet the brand&#8217;s annual forecasts, with rose petals, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lavender, angelica and rhubarb in glorious abundance, as well as several beehives. I may even have donned a beekeepers outfit and found my true calling at this point.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-014.jpg" alt="WARNERS DISTILLERY NATURE TOUR  BEEKEEPER" class="wp-image-49892" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-014.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-014-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-014-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Keeping a connection to nature is key to the way in which Warner&#8217;s operates as a business, so caring for wildlife habitats and hedgerows and sequestering carbon is all factored into the way in which the farm operates. Swallow numbers are on the up, plus you&#8217;ll see resident yellowhammers, turtle doves and lapwing among many others, a visible benefit to the brand&#8217;s sustainable practices. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-and-quaff">SCOFF AND QUAFF</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="750" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-012.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49894" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-012.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-012-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-012-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>After touring the farm and trying lots of drinks (hic), it was back to the tasting barn for a scrumptious lunch of fresh salads, sandwiches and homemade cakes. All delicious but, let&#8217;s face it, mainly intended to line our stomachs before the really important part of the day: mixology.  We headed out to the garden, where a beautiful outdoor bar space had been set up for us to get cracking on our Lemon Balm Smash cocktails (lemon balm, Warner&#8217;s Lemon Balm gin, sugar syrup, lemon juice, lots of ice) which Tom expertly demonstrated before setting us loose with the cocktail shakers and allowing us to get stuck in to the extensive gin supply. I&#8217;ve recreated this quite a few times (only for special occasions, you understand) at home since and I can confirm it is <em>the</em> perfect summery refresher. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1333" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-009.jpg" alt="WARNERS DISTILLERY NATURE TOUR  MIXOLOGY COCKTAILS" class="wp-image-49895" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-009.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-009-225x300.jpg 225w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/WARNERS-NATURE-TOUR-009-768x1024.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-out-and-about">OUT AND ABOUT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="532" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/TOLLY-ARMS.png" alt="WARNERS DISTILLERY NATURE TOUR  TOLLEMACHE ARMS TOLLY HARRINGTON" class="wp-image-49897" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/TOLLY-ARMS.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/TOLLY-ARMS-300x160.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/northantsleicsrutland/wp-content/uploads/sites/26/2024/08/TOLLY-ARMS-768x409.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Falls Farm is just up the road from the wonderful Tollemache Arms (fondly known as The Tolly). Definitely one not to miss, the service is super welcoming and the food is wonderful. Head to nearby Market Harborough for boutique shops, cool cafés and, if you need a post-gin reset, Optimum You Yoga and Wellness will absolve you of all your sins. Tell Harry I sent you. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kid-friendly">KID FRIENDLY?</h2>



<p>Without wanting to sound like a party pooper, not really one for the kids if you want to get the full gin-soaked experience. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-friendly">DOG FRIENDLY?</h2>



<p>It&#8217;s a working farm, so leave Fido at home for this one.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-accessibility">ACCESSIBILITY</h2>



<p>It&#8217;s a 17th century farm, so pretty higgledy piggledy in places. The tasting barn itself has reasonably accessible loos. However, be warned that the tour does involve quite a bit of walking on uneven ground and getting in and out of a trailer and some bumpy rides, so if you want the Warner&#8217;s experience I&#8217;d suggest trying the Distillery Tour. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<p><strong>Good for</strong>: Anyone interested in gin, of course (raises hand), but also those who want to know more about sustainable business practises, food production, farm diversification or beekeeping. Enlist a designated driver or book a taxi to get the most out of the day and don&#8217;t have a deadline to meet by 5pm (ahem). </p>



<p><strong>Not for</strong>: Start-up brands looking to get the inside line on running a distillery, Warner&#8217;s is definitively leading the charge here and you won&#8217;t be able to keep up.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://www.warnersdistillery.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warner&#8217;s Distillery</a>, Falls Farm, 34 High Street, Harrington, Northamptonshire, NN6 9NU</em></p>


Review: Warner’s Distillery Nature Tour

You may also like