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.