Creative London: Mark Holdsworth

We got to meet Mark Holdsworth, owner Half Hitch Gin, to find out what he’s been up to and how Half Hitch came about.

1. WHAT MADE YOU GET INTO THE GIN BUSINESS AND WHAT MAKES HALF HITCH STAND OUT?

After 15 years working in the spirit industry, on many of the world’s best known spirits, I saw an opportunity to go it alone. I was born in Camden, worked on the market in my youth and only recently stumbled across its rich heritage in gin making which I decided to underrate and reinvigorate. My gin’s recipe is very different with its key botanicals of black tea, bergamot, English wood, pepper and hay plus mix of traditional and modern distilling methods. It makes for a gin with a bold colour, complex flavour and exceptionally smooth taste. Delicious in a G&T or can even be sipped over ice.

2. TELL US WHAT YOUR TYPICAL DAY IS LIKE FOR YOU?

I think I gave up on having typical days when I left the security of my last job. Nowadays, it’s juggling production, logistics, finance, sales and marketing. Having just appointed a distribution company to take on the heavy loading of supplying customers, I have thankfully  finished doing direct deliveries from my motorbike so I am now finding I can focus my attention better.

3. WHAT HAVE WE GOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO, ANY EXCITING PLANS YOU’RE WORKING ON?

In the last months I have been starting to open up the export side to my business so I can slowly seed availability outside the UK. So look out for HALF HITCH Gin in the rest of Europe and USA very soon.

4. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES IN LONDON?

I love the inner city buzz and energy of Kentish Town in Camden where I live – matched equally by the tranquil calm of Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath overlooking  London where I love taking my dog for a daily walk

5. WHERE CAN WE TRY OR BUY HALF HITCH GIN IN LONDON?

It’s in Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason’s, Bottle Apostle, Majestic North London, online specialists and can be bought for our micro-distillery in Camden. You will also find it in most of Young’s Pubs, Geronimo Inns and many of London’s top bars.

WEBSITE: www.halfhitch.london

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/HALFHITCHgin

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/halfhitchgin

Portrait by Nyla Sammons