The Alchemy Behind Every Bottle
We begin our 50-step distillation process with two exceptionally fine copper stills — Algy and Percy. Algy is our 150-litre copper still, named after Algernon, 9th Baron Carbery, and Stephen’s great-grandfather. Percy, our 600-litre still, is named after Stephen’s 17th century ancestor, Sir Percy Freke, former Lord Mayor of Cork and High-Sheriff of County Cork. Both Algy and Percy are traditional copper pot stills from Germany, designed for making fine brandies, but customised for the distillation of Castle Freke Gin. The hand-beaten copper of these state-of-the-art stills plays an important role in the distillation process, enabling the creation of a smoother, more refined spirit.
The 50-STEP PROCESS – A Fusion of Craft and Science
Our gin-making method is the result of years of experimentation, combining Stephen’s passion for the Very Dry Martini with his pharmaceutical background. The result is a 50-step process that blends artistry with scientific precision to produce Castle Freke Gin’s unique flavour experience.
Maceration
Our proprietary 50-step process begins by charging the still with 96% organic wheat alcohol and hop bags filled with organic Macedonian and Tuscan juniper, and fresh myrtle leaves foraged from the castle grounds, to which we add dried citrus peel, coriander from the Nile Delta and angelica root. This mixture is left to macerate for several days. Much like brewing a pot of tea, the warm alcohol gently draws out the organic compounds and flavours from these botanicals, infusing the base spirit before distillation even begins.
The Spice Run
After maceration, we commence the first distillation — the spice run. This begins with junipers and a selection of heavier, woodier botanicals — including myrtle, myrrh, vetiver, and gentian root — which lend the deep, earthy base notes to Castle Freke Gin. All are organic and hand-selected, sourced from specific regions for their distinctive characteristics, and extensively tested to create our signature profile.
Enhancing Smoothness — The Dephlegmator
During the spice run, vapours from the pot still are directed through the multiple plates of the rectifier column into a sophisticated dephlegmator. As the alcohol vapour rises through the column’s plates, it undergoes multiple mini-distillations, further refining purity and enhancing the balance of botanical notes. This process clarifies the spirit and intensifies chosen flavours, while removing harsher elements of the alcohol.
Vapour Infusion & Condensation
From the dephlegmator, the vapours pass through the gin basket, which is a proprietary multi-layered design, where they are infused with additional botanical aromatics. The vapours are then cooled in the condenser, emerging as highly concentrated liquid alcohol. At this stage, we make aggressive cuts of the harsher heads and tails, retaining only the smoothest, most flavourful hearts.
The Citrus Run
The hearts from Day One are reloaded into the still for the second distillation — the citrus run.
Our citrus fruits are sourced exclusively from Agrume Schaller, a renowned supplier whose produce is prized by Michelin-starred chefs and restaurants across Europe. We hold an exclusive collaboration with them for our gin production. After experimenting with a large selection of their exotic citrus fruits we have settled on a proprietary blend of just six of them for our first release batch.
The result is a striking balance in flavour profile between the spice hearts of Day One and the citrus-infused hearts of Day Two — together forming the distinctive palate experience of Castle Freke Gin.
Before bottling, we borrow from the maceration process used in high-end perfumery, slowly diluting the spirit to bottling strength over several weeks. It then continues to mature for a number of months with a gentle, slow-moving paddle that helps stabilise the liquid and enhance its smoothness.
In Good Company: Our Valued Partners
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AGRUME SCHALLER
Our citrus fruits are sourced exclusively from Agrume Schaller, a renowned supplier whose produce is prized by Michelin-starred chefs and restaurants across Europe.
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Kothe Distilling
Castle Freke Gin is crafted using two exceptional, one-of-a-kind copper stills from our partners at Kothe Distilling.
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DE GOURNAY
With exquisite showrooms in New York City, Los Angeles, and California De Gournay are our proud events partner.
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EISCH
With over 75 years of German glassmaking craftsmanship, Eisch uniquely blends form with flavour, creating the bespoke Castle Freke Gin glassware for pure perfection in every drop.
DISCOVER OUR GIN
Castle Freke Gin is a spirit of remarkable smoothness and layered complexity, crafted not for mixing but for savoring chilled, either straight or in a very dry martini. It is distilled in sophisticated small-batch copper stills through a proprietary 50-step process, using organic wheat alcohol and many rare and wild-gathered botanicals sourced from across the world including Tuscan and Macedonian junipers, Nile Delta coriander, myrrh from Africa, and myrtle from the Castle demesne, together with rare citrus fruits from the celebrated Pyrenean orchards of Agrumes Schaller. This is followed by long maceration prior to bottling.
