Pic copyright Phil Tragen 25.09.18
Taking the gin-craze to new heights, Aber Falls Distillery (www.aberfallsdistillery.com) recently climbed the summit of Snowdon, to distil a bottle of gin made with botanicals foraged from the mountain. The aptly-named Summit Gin: the Mountaineers Cut, was produced in a mini one-litre copper pot still and included botanicals such as sloe berries and heather. The bottle will now be auctioned in aid of Wales Air Ambulance, who are solely reliant on charitable donations in order to raise the £6.5 million a year required to keep its helicopters in the air. Joining the mission for excellence in Welsh gin production – and continuing the life-saving work of the WAA – was the 2018 winner of the Morning Advertiser’s Bartender of the Year Award, Alex Mills, of Cardiff ’s Lab 22. Mills created a special summit serve called A’r ben y brig to warm up hikers on the day. Based in Abergwyngregyn, Aber Falls is set to release its first whisky in 2020, following on from their Welsh Dry Gin and a range of flavoured gins and gin-based liqueurs. The team are also constructing a permanent visitor centre complete with restaurant and music performance space at the distillery. Welsh and proud, Aber Falls will be the first whisky distillery in North Wales in more than 100 years; and the brand has achieved five prestigious medals at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition – one of the spirits industry’s most respected events.
