https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/ Craft spirits, made with care — and tasted properly. en Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:12:56 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/still-behind-door-uk-bars-house-spirits/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/still-behind-door-uk-bars-house-spirits/ A growing number of UK cocktail bars are not just infusing behind the bar — they are distilling. We look at the gins, rums and liqueurs made in-house, what it does to a drink, and how to tell a true house distillate from a clever infusion. Liquorsmiths Features Sun, 08 Nov 2026 14:02:06 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/char-toast-burnt-heather-uk-smoke-without-peat/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/char-toast-burnt-heather-uk-smoke-without-peat/ Peat is not the only route to a smoky glass. We talk to three UK makers using charred casks, roasted grains and local fuel to build smoke from the ground up — and explain what the word ‘smoky’ really means on a British bottle. Liquorsmiths Distiller Interviews Sun, 08 Nov 2026 14:02:06 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/working-shelf-six-craft-spirits/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/working-shelf-six-craft-spirits/ Most home bars become museums of half-empty bottles. A better approach is to buy for jobs, not labels. Here is a six-bottle craft shelf that covers sipping, mixing and hosting — without doing the same job twice. Liquorsmiths Features Sun, 08 Nov 2026 10:01:07 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/long-pour-year-learning-cut-still/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/long-pour-year-learning-cut-still/ What does it actually take to be trusted with a spirit run? We followed one trainee through twelve months of cleaning, sensory drills, logbooks and cut points at a UK craft distillery — and found that the hardest lesson is knowing when to stop. Liquorsmiths Distiller Interviews Sun, 08 Nov 2026 10:01:07 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/where-the-heart-lives-distillers-cut-guide/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/where-the-heart-lives-distillers-cut-guide/ The cut point is the distiller’s most consequential decision — and one drinkers can learn to taste. Here is a practical way to read heads, hearts and tails in three UK craft spirits, plus the questions that reveal how a bottle was made. Liquorsmiths Blind Tasting Sun, 08 Nov 2026 06:05:34 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/winter-highball-five-craft-spirits-dilution/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/winter-highball-five-craft-spirits-dilution/ Mulled wine has its place, but the highball is the most useful winter serve for UK craft spirits. Here are five recipes with exact ratios, carbonation notes and a buying guide for bottles that keep their character after the soda goes in. Liquorsmiths Features Sun, 08 Nov 2026 06:05:34 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/off-duty-pours-five-uk-distillers-drink-nobodys-watching/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/off-duty-pours-five-uk-distillers-drink-nobodys-watching/ Five UK craft distillers reveal what they drink when the apron comes off, from supermarket stout to obscure amari. Plus a practical 'if they like X, try Y' list of UK bottles to match. Liquorsmiths Distiller Interviews Sun, 08 Nov 2026 02:06:51 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/35-pound-bottle-taken-apart-craft-distillers-price/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/35-pound-bottle-taken-apart-craft-distillers-price/ A £35 bottle of UK craft spirit can be fair value or a stretch. We break down duty, glass, still time, and margin with two small distillers — and give you three practical questions to ask before you buy. Liquorsmiths Features Sun, 08 Nov 2026 02:06:51 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/30-pound-craft-spirit-blind-test-2026/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/30-pound-craft-spirit-blind-test-2026/ We put six UK craft bottles priced at £30 or under against supermarket own-label spirits in a blind tasting. Craft didn't win every round — but the results showed exactly where the extra money goes, and when it's worth spending. Liquorsmiths Blind Tasting Sat, 07 Nov 2026 22:10:44 GMT https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/cask-finish-trap-uk-craft-spirits-2026/ https://liquorsmiths.co.uk/cask-finish-trap-uk-craft-spirits-2026/ Cask finishes can add real depth to whisky, rum and gin. They can also hide young spirit behind a famous barrel name. We asked UK distillers what a finish actually does, where the shortcuts creep in, and how to taste one properly. Liquorsmiths Distiller Interviews Sat, 07 Nov 2026 22:10:44 GMT