The Cotswolds

Hentony joins Craft Gin Club

A festive celebration of friendship, heritage and craft

This month marks an exciting milestone for Hentony, as the brand joins the Craft Gin Club community with two spectacular festive spirits. Members unboxing their December boxes are discovering Hentony Festive Gin and Hentony Festive Rum – a glamorous pair of limited-release drinks that bring a touch of Polish heritage and Cotswold charm to Christmas celebrations.

∙ ORDER YOUR FESTIVE HENTONY GIN TODAY ∙

Born from the close friendship of Anna Kiryla and Agnieszka Niedzwiedz, Hentony is a distillery shaped by shared history, bold experimentation, and a willingness to start small and grow slowly. Originally from Lublin in southeastern Poland, Anna and Agnieszka relocated to Evesham in the Vale of Evesham more than twenty years ago. Over time, they fell in love with the region’s friendly market-town spirit, rich food culture, and the local enthusiasm for craft gin – something that had yet to take off back home.

Fuelled by curiosity, the pair began exploring the world of botanicals from the bottom shelf up – tasting supermarket gins, visiting tastings and festivals, and eventually taking part in a gin-making class. That hands-on experience rekindled the chemistry of their university years in food science, sparking a new idea: why not make a spirit that felt classic and elegant, yet had a flavour profile unlike anything else they had tried?

Slowly, they worked through recipes with the help of a contract distillery, crafting a gin built on juniper, lavender, grapefruit and three types of peppercorn. When the final recipe was finished, the first bottle happened to land on Anna’s birthday, with the contract signed on Agnieszka’s – a serendipitous moment that set the tone for what Hentony would become.

The name itself reflects their roots: Hentony combines Henry, Agnieszka’s son, and Antony, Anna’s. Though stylish and sophisticated, the brand is tied to something personal and heartfelt – a reminder that creativity can be both luxurious and sentimental.

∙ ORDER YOUR FESTIVE HENTONY GIN TODAY ∙

Since launching in 2021, Hentony has grown into a locally treasured name in the Vale of Evesham. The distillery is owned and operated by just the two founders and frequently collaborates with local organisations, charities and businesses – even using a bicycle for local gin deliveries. Alongside their signature London Dry Gin, the range has expanded to include expressions like Lemon & Black Lime Gin, inspired by a request from a loyal customer, and Honey Old Tom Gin, created with a neighbouring beekeeper.

Despite juggling full-time careers, Anna and Agnieszka take a deliberately slow approach to growth. Their focus is on quality, visibility, and community, preferring to meet people at festivals and markets, listen to feedback, and build a brand with depth and story rather than rushing to scale.

Now, with the December Gin and Rum of the Month selections, Hentony takes its biggest step to date: entering the homes of Craft Gin Club members nationwide. The festive releases are inspired by a traditional Polish Christmas cake called Piernik – a layered gingerbread flavoured with almond paste and plum jam. That combination of spices, fruit and sweet warmth forms the soul of both spirits.

Hentony Festive Gin brings a refined, elegant expression with citrus brightness, cacao and almond layered over Christmas spices. Hentony Festive Rum is richer and more indulgent, highlighting jammy plum alongside cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Individually, each is a celebration of the season; together, they form a pair that echoes the strength of the partnership behind the brand.

The bottles themselves reflect another tradition from the founders’ heritage. In Poland, cut crystal glassware is a symbol of celebration, luxury and familial pride – something treasured and passed between generations. Hentony’s cut-glass style bottles honour that tradition while giving the spirits the kind of dramatic presence that deserves centre stage on a festive bar trolley. The label artwork also nods to where Anna and Agnieszka first met: two goats climbing a juniper bush – a playful twist on the goat seen on Lublin’s coat of arms.

∙ ORDER YOUR FESTIVE HENTONY GIN TODAY ∙

Behind the polish and presentation is a remarkable story of friendship and persistence. Anna and Agnieszka share a motto: “Don’t stop me” … “I won’t even try.” It represents the supportive energy that has carried them from university labs to England, through the balancing act of full-time work and late-night recipe testing, and now into thousands of Craft Gin Club boxes across the country.

For members, Hentony offers more than great spirits – it offers a glimpse into the founders’ shared history, their love for the Vale of Evesham, and a tradition of flavour that spans countries and cultures. However it’s enjoyed – curled up by the fire, poured for friends on Christmas Eve, or shared as a post-dinner treat – these are spirits designed to be part of moments, not just cocktails.

And like Anna and Agnieszka themselves, the Hentony Festive Gin and Rum are charming individually – but stronger together.

The Cotswolds

An exciting chef collaboration comes to The Feathered Nest

April 2026 ∙ The Feathered Nest in Nether Westcote introduces a fresh highlight in its culinary calendar, launching its first chef collaboration of the year with a special one-night-only dining experience. Taking place on Tuesday 14 April at 7pm, the evening brings together two exceptional chefs for a truly memorable occasion.

Head Chef James will be joined in the kitchen by Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens of Muse in London, a restaurant celebrated for its elegant, contemporary approach to modern cuisine.

A meeting of creativity and skill
For this exclusive event, the two chefs will work side by side to create a menu that reflects their shared commitment to quality ingredients, creativity and refined technique. The result is set to be a carefully composed dining experience, where two individual styles come together seamlessly on one menu.

Guests can look forward to dishes that balance innovation with precision, offering a rare opportunity to experience the work of both chefs in an intimate and thoughtfully curated setting.

A seasonal, ingredient-led menu
The evening begins with a selection of bread and snacks, including roosterkoek with chicken and cèpe butter, celeriac chawanmushi with pine and Oscietra caviar, and chicken liver parfait paired with a hazelnut hobnob. The menu then moves through a series of seasonal dishes, from ricotta with blood orange and bitter leaves to a Cornish crab muffin with Cape Malay butter, fermented fennel and sea herbs.

Further courses celebrate the best of the season, including white asparagus with morel and horseradish, followed by monkfish with elderflower and lemon. A standout main features Welsh hogget served as roast loin, crisp belly and glazed faggot with wild garlic, artichokes and sunflower seeds. To finish, a Westcote honey tart is served with chamomile and crème fraîche.

∙ READ MORE OR BOOK YOUR TABLE HERE ∙

The Cotswolds

An after-hours gin experience with a creative twist at Warwickshire Gin Company

Something new is stirring beneath the arches in Leamington Spa, as Warwickshire Gin Company introduces an exciting after-hours experience designed to bring guests closer to the craft of distilling.

Launching this season, Alchemy After Hours invites visitors to step behind the scenes for a relaxed and immersive 90-minute session where creativity takes centre stage. More than a tasting, it is an opportunity to help shape what comes next.

Hosted by founder and distiller Dave Blick, the evening begins with a welcome drink before guests are guided through a curated selection of experimental gins, alongside the distillery’s distinctive honey rum. Each spirit has its own story, inspiration and flavour profile, offering a deeper insight into the thinking behind the brand.

What makes this experience particularly unique is its interactive element. Guests are invited to explore a further selection of experimental flavours, from inventive combinations such as rhubarb, mint and blackcurrant to more unexpected profiles like green valley tea. These small-batch creations exist only within the distillery, and feedback from the evening will help influence which flavours could one day make it into full production.

It is a concept that reflects the spirit of Warwickshire Gin Company itself. Each of its existing gins is rooted in local history, from Leamington on Parade, inspired by a 19th-century circus elephant trainer, to The Kingmaker, Peeping Tom, Pelota Dry Gin and The Philosopher’s Daughter, all drawing on stories that have shaped the region.

Alongside Alchemy After Hours, the distillery continues to offer a range of well-loved experiences, including guided gin tastings, cocktail sessions and its popular Afternoon Gin & Tea, as well as curated gift bundles for those looking to take a piece of the experience home.

With over 170 five-star reviews and recognition among the top-rated attractions globally, Warwickshire Gin Company has firmly established itself as one of the region’s standout craft distilleries.

For those looking for something a little different, Alchemy After Hours offers a rare chance to not only taste something new, but to be part of its story.

∙ BOOK ALCHEMY AFTER HOURS HERE ∙

The Cotswolds

Spirit of Ilmington’s Apple Brandy earns national acclaim

There is something quietly special about a product that captures not just flavour, but a sense of place. Spirit of Ilmington Apple Brandy does exactly that, and it is now gaining the recognition it so clearly deserves.

Gold for the Apple Brandy

In the prestigious Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards 2026, the brandy has been awarded Gold, an accolade that places it firmly among the very best artisan food and drink products in the UK. With a record number of entries judged by a panel of industry experts, competition was exceptionally strong this year, making the achievement all the more meaningful. To be singled out at this level is a clear sign that something truly distinctive is being created.

Silver in London

That success is echoed on the international stage too. At the London Spirits Competition, Spirit of Ilmington Apple Brandy was awarded an impressive 94 points, securing a Silver Medal and falling just one point short of Gold. Judged on taste, appearance and value for money, the scoring reflects a beautifully balanced spirit that delivers on every level.

Crisp apple and green grape

The tasting notes paint a vivid picture. Crisp apple and green grape notes lead on the nose, followed by a palate that is clean and gently sweet, with hints of pear and melon. The finish is fresh and bright, leaving a soft, lingering fruit character that invites another sip. It is a profile that feels both refined and deeply rooted in the orchard.

Soft and mellow

Even Fortnum & Mason has praised the spirit, describing it as “a soft, mellow brandy with a surprisingly fresh cider nose, warming and refreshing on the palate with a lingering aftertaste of apple.” High praise from one of the country’s most respected names in fine food and drink.

The connection to the land

What makes this brandy particularly special is its connection to the land. Crafted using locally grown apples, it reflects the richness of the surrounding countryside and the care taken at every stage, from fruit to bottle. It is a reminder that some of the most exciting drinks being produced today are not mass-made, but thoughtfully created in small batches with real provenance.

The flavours of the Cotswolds

Spirit of Ilmington Apple Brandy stands as a perfect example of what the region does so well. Honest ingredients, skilled craftsmanship, and a genuine sense of place. For those looking to explore the flavours of the Cotswolds in a glass, this is one to seek out.

∙ SHOP FOR SPIRIT OF ILMINGTON HERE ∙