Farm To Glass Masterclass With Ramsbury Distillery at Archive & Myth
To celebrate London Cocktail Week ONIN were invited to Archive & Myth for an exclusive Farm to Glass masterclass with Ramsbury Estate. Nestled in the ancient Wiltshire hills and covering 19,000 acres, Ramsbury Estate blends tradition and innovation to produce premium grain spirits using high quality ingredients and environmentally conscious farming. Ramsbury Estate distill and bottle their spirits on site, use wood from their estate for the boilers, use glass manufactured in the UK and display the coordinates of the field from which the wheat is collected on each bottle.
Over the course of the night we had 3 cocktails, and five tastings. First up, was the Hay and Honey Highball. It’s made with distilled hay mixed with lemon and honey, all from the Ramsbury Estate. I don’t remember ever having a drink with hay in it before but it was very easy to drink. It paired well with a platter featuring produce that was locally sourced or grown on the Ramsbury Estate, for example the brie was made 10km away from the Estate. Dipping the fresh bread baked onsite into the rapeseed oil with balsamic, having charcuterie from No. 9, then having a crisp slice of a Granny Smith apple was a delicious dinner.
Next was a pink and creamy concoction made using Ramsbury Raspberry and Wildflower Hone gin. It felt very much like a dessert and went down way too fast. It reminded me of creamy raspberry ice cream.
The final cocktail was The Ultimate Gibson (£8), created for London Cocktail Week (3-13 October) by award-winning mixologist Jack Sotti. It’s comprised of Ramsbury vodka and Everleaf Marine and comes with a little bottle so you can add as much as you like of the salt and vinegar vermouth. It was fun adding a drop then a few more, and then a few more, to see what we best preferred. I thought I’d like it with less but actually I preferred it with more. This was served with a mini pickle platter.
Global Brand Abassador Mikul Kalyan came to all parties at Archive & Myth to say hello and provide a private tasting experience of Ramsbury’s four gins and one vodka. First was the Ramsbury Vodka, which is made from wheat grown on the Ramsbury Estate. It is one of the few Single Estate vodkas made in the UK and won Vodka of the Year at the London Spirits Competition 2024. It has an elegant, medium-bodied texture with chocolate and vanilla notes. I really liked that it was different to many other vodkas I’ve tasted. It can be enjoyed on its own and would go well in an expresso martini.
Next was Ramsbury Gin. This is a smooth, light, fresh and sweet London Dry Gin recommended to serve as a classic g&t with Indian tonic water and a slice of Granny Smith apples. The Lemon Balm Gin, using fresh lemon all from the Ramsbury Estate, was my least favourite. My face actually screwed up a little as I tasted the crisp and zesty lemon notes. Having said this, I can see it working well in a classic g&t with a slice of lemon or lemon-forward drinks like a sour.
The Wildflower Honey Collection Gins are named because they use honey from the bees at the Ramsbury Estate. The Raspberry and Wildflower Honey is a summer-inspired spirit released last year, while the Blackberry and Wildflower Honey is a limited edition small bath release this year. The raspberries are grown on the Ramsbury Estate while locally sourced blackberries provide the natural juices. Both spirits are sweet and slightly tart. I particularly enjoyed sipping the Blackberry and Wildflower Honey and would like to try this topped with Prosecco. I can also picture myself sipping the Raspberry and Wildflower Honey at picnic on a sunny summer’s day.
Archive & Myth is one of Soho’s newest bars. Upon entering the Hippodrome, head to the ornamental entry-code door, and descend the stairs. Here you’ll find a bar with stool seating, and various plush nooks with brick and metal, dark wood accents and even a gramophone. It was a bigger space then what it looks at first glance though spaces can fill quickly so booking no is recommended for this beautifully sophisticated bar.
For Ramsbury Estate
Address: Stockclose Farm, Aldbourne,
Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 2NN.
Website: https://ramsburyestates.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ramsburybrewery
For Archive and Myth
Address: Archive and Myth, Hippodrome, Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square, WC2H 7JH Londo
Website: https://archiveandmyth.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archiveandmyth
Written by Caitlin Neal
