From winning a competition to getting behind the doors of Conker HQ – come with me for a very special night of gin, botanicals and Dorset spirit.
Last week I got a message on Instagram telling me I’d won a competition. I never win anything, so that was exciting enough! Then I realised I’d won one of the six pairs of Copper Tickets up for grabs, giving me the chance to go behind the doors of Conker HQ for what was their very first distillery tour. Of course, I got the message while I was at work and got a little bit excited. After composing myself, I found out my favourite gin buddy could come with me, so we were off!
Behind the scenes at Conker
After Vicki and I managed to get slightly lost on the way, we eventually arrived to find Rupert waiting to welcome us. There were 10 of us ready to learn all about our very own Dorset-made gin. Rupert took us around the distillery, explaining everything from how Conker came about to how the gin is actually made. I loved hearing the story behind the name—it all came down to a text message from his wife!
What really impressed me was hearing how Rupert started with no experience of distilling gin. He spent a year contacting people, experimenting with flavours and figuring it all out, and just look at what Conker has achieved since launching in 2015.
We got to see the copper stills, learn about the botanicals and find out what happens at each stage of the distillation process before the gin reaches the all-important bottling stage. Even the bottles are labelled at the distillery, either using their little machine or by hand when it decides to misbehave. The larger bottles are hand-signed before being packed up and sent out across the country.
I love seeing this side of a Dorset business. There’s no middleman—it’s all happening right there. And for me, that’s exactly what supporting local is about. I want to know where the things I buy come from, especially when they’re proudly made in Dorset.
Can you guess the botanicals?
Next up was a little game of guess the botanical. We were given six bottles containing the raw botanicals and another six with the infused versions. Our job was to match them up. Some were easy. Some…not so much! I think Vicki and I managed three out of six, which I’ll happily take.
The six botanicals used in Conker Dorset Dry Gin are:
- Juniper
- Gorse flowers
- Marsh samphire
- Elderberry
- Orange peel
- Lime peel
It was such a fun way to understand just how much those individual ingredients can change the flavour of a gin.
And then came the best bit…the tasting!
We finished the evening by tasting some of Conker’s spirits, starting neat before adding a little tonic and then a little more. And honestly, it’s amazing how differently the gin tastes as you change the amount of tonic. Until you’ve done a proper tasting, you don’t really appreciate just how much of a difference it makes.
Conker Dorset Dry
Spicy, earthy and right up my street. The samphire gives it a lovely saltiness, with juniper and elderberry coming through when tasted neat. Add tonic and those subtle citrus notes start to shine.
Conker Navy Strength
I’m not normally a fan of Navy Strength gin, but this one changed my mind. Neat, it certainly packs a punch, but add tonic and the orange comes through beautifully.
Conker Port Barrel
Something completely different! We were lucky enough to try the first opened bottle. It’s smooth, full of flavour and has a gorgeous pink colour. I’m not a huge port lover, but I really enjoyed this one.
Conker Cold Brew
Now this one was a winner for me. A rich coffee liqueur made using coffee beans from Ethiopia and Brazil, roasted by a Dorset coffee roaster. I loved the caramel notes and, naturally, I had to buy a bottle for Christmas! We also tried the Cold Brew Gin & Tonic, combining the coffee liqueur with gin and tonic. Coffee in a G&T? Who knew! Apparently Rupert did—and he got it absolutely spot on.
It was such a brilliant evening, and I came away having learnt loads, fallen in love with Dorset Dry Gin and, most importantly, discovered even more reasons to support local. A huge thank you to the Conker team for such a memorable night. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next and hopefully catch up with them at Dorset’s foodie events along the way.
If you’d like to find out more about Conker and their distillery tours, you can visit www.conkerspirit.co.uk/distillery-tours/.
Have you been behind the scenes at a gin distillery before? And what’s your favourite Conker serve?
