This is my first article for Liquor.com and I thought I’d use it to introduce myself and my new passion: craft distilling.

I’m in the UK and, whilst our craft distilling is a little behind that of the US, we are accelerating at a fast pace, with the equivalent of one new distillery opening per month this year; not bad for a country the size of Idaho.

The spirit of choice in the UK? Gin. But then, it’s hardly surprising that I would say that, as, when it comes to liquor, this is my specialist subject.

Here are my top three picks of British craft gins from the last twelve months:

Warner Edwards

Distilled using the one-shot method in a Holstein still, Warner Edwards Gin is made at Falls Farm in Harrington. In addition to being distilled on the farm, the gin is diluted and bottled there, using water from a spring that was originally part of a Medieval manor house within the farm’s grounds.

Nose: Rich, with juniper well-mixed with liquorice root and a hint of vanilla cream. A well-defined nose, with cardamom and coriander towards the end.

Taste: Light, but full to the brim with notes of juniper, coriander and spice from the very beginning. The spice continues throughout, bringing a good warmth and texture to it, as if it had been made with dashes of chilli and ginger, before a softer finish of cardamom.

Warner Edwards also make an Elderflower flavoured gin.

Dodd’s

This London distillery will also be making whisky. Dodd’s Gin is made by the London Distilling Company and is currently a favourite at Fortnum & Mason. Unusually, the gin’s botanical mix includes black cardamom, raspberry leaf, and London honey.

Nose: Some interesting salty notes meet the nose to start, as well as some smoky elements, making this particularly unusual. There are some green cardamom notes, too.

Taste: Very smooth for 49.9% ABV, with initial citrus, followed by plenty of spice, green cardamom in the middle and the menthol of the black cardamom towards the end. This is mixed with dry, piney juniper and a spiciness reminiscent of freshly cracked black pepper. The honey adds a smooth texture and rich mouthfeel to this bold and engaging gin; there is nothing else like this made in the UK.

GILT

Hailing from Scotland (near Loch Lomond) and made by the VALT vodka company the spirit base for GILT is essentially new-make Scotch (I know there is technically no such thing but you I’m sure you get the picture).

Nose: Juniper, hints of vanilla and grain. Ever-so-slightly acidic.

Taste: Dry juniper upfront, followed by coriander and then some notes of malt and hops. In the middle, there are some toffee-vanilla notes, followed by citrus, spice and a light, liquorice sweetness. The finish is fresh, with lots of citrus and orange in particular. The gin has a lot of mixing potential and makes a great old fashioned.

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The popularity of craft distilling the UK, and further afield to Europe, has led Bill Owens, President of the American Distilling Institute, to launch a Craft Distilling Expo in London, which will take place next month.

This will see a host of vendors coming together, as well as a series of talks, which should provide the aspiring distiller with a lot of the information that they need to start up, and the already active distiller with inspiration to grow and take their next steps.

Talks will include:

• a hands-on whisky blending session;
• a Q&A on the legal aspects of distilling;
• a panel discussion on importing and branding/packaging; and
• a live cooperage demonstrating from Speyside Cooperage.

Tickets are available from www.distillingexpo.com