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Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery: The American Dream exemplified

For Andy and Charlie Nelson, a small town in Tennessee became their destiny in 2006. When they mentioned their family’s historic whiskey business in a butcher shop on Distillery Road, they were referred to the local historian. He proudly presented them with two perfectly preserved bottles of Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey, made by their great-great-great-grandfather Charles. Having found out that he was one of the most successful whiskey distillers in America before Prohibition, they decided to revive the family business.

The brothers have always had a lot in common. Both studied humanities, are history buffs, true Southern gentlemen and proud of their family roots. When they set out to revive the distillery, which had been founded around 1800, they embarked on a great journey not just to make and sell whiskey, but to rebuild a company that had helped to popularise the term Tennessee whiskey in America and Europe. By researching, sourcing capital and producing brands in small quantities according to original recipes, they are prime examples of the ‘American Dream’.

If you like stories about sunken ships, lost gold, a woman who ran a distillery before women were allowed to vote and the rebirth of a business, you would be in your element on a tour of the company. From Tennessee whiskey made according to the original recipe to new creations such as high-rye bourbons, the portfolio is constantly growing, but always based on their great tradition.

Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey – Hand Made Sour Mash won gold at the World Spirits Award.

Summerhall Distillery – Pickering’s Gin based on a family recipe

The Summerhall Distillery is located on the grounds of an old veterinary clinic, which used to be part of a veterinary college known as ‘Dick Vet’. Summerhall itself is a creative, artistic centre with plenty of room for studios and workshops. Right in the middle is the ‘The Royal Dick’ pub, directly next to the gin distillery – the first in Edinburgh for over 150 years. This explains how gin can be served here directly ‘from the barrel’ via a pipeline.

Production started on 27th March 2014, and since then, Pickering’s Gin has been manufactured following an original recipe from Bombay. Written by hand on a piece of paper dated 17th July 1947, the ‘family secret’ was rediscovered in 2013, as Marcus Pickering and Matthew Gammell set up the distillery. They observed the trend to gin for over five years before developing the idea of their brand and this discovery was the ‘juniper cherry on the cake’, so to speak.

The old recipe was refined and perfected, and the balance of the nine botanicals was adapted to suit contemporary tastes. Juniper, cardamom, coriander, angelica, fennel, aniseed, lemon, lime and cloves are carefully measured out and added to the grain spirit, which awaits the refining process in a 500 litre copper container – nicknamed ‘Gert’. A custom-made water bath heater provides the gentle heat which extracts the subtle aromas from the ingredients.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Pickering’s Gin, Pickering’s Navy Strength Gin, gold for Pickering’s 1947 Gin, and silver for Pickering’s Tattoo Edition Gin.