The Portsmouth Distillery

Established in 2018 by Giles Collinghan and Vince Noyce, a pair of ex-naval officers who also sold premium rum in the Caribbean together, and Dich Oatley, a wine and spirits veteran. The links between Portsmouth, the Navy and rum are even more apparent when you see the home of this premium artisan spirit producer which is an old 18th Century fort. Fort Cumberland is located on the south-eastern tip of Portsmouth and commands a sense of belonging in the naval heritage of the coastal Hampshire town. Refurbing a section of this fort even won them an award for ''Best Re-use of an Historic building in 2019'' by The Portsmouth Society.

The focus is on rum, distilling from dehydrated cane juice syrup imported from Central America and there is certainly a point to prove to distil their own premium spirit. Gin production is another important aspect of the distillery with several of the botanicals foraged locally from around the fort.