Welcome to Harley House Distillery, our award-winning home distillery nestled at the edge of the stunning South Downs near the Seven Sisters Cliffs in Seaford, East Sussex.
Our distillery is more than just a place where spirits are crafted; it's a labour of love and a journey of passion that began with a simple revelation in the spring of 2017. We feel extremely lucky to call this place our home and to live in one of England's most quintessential, charming, and beloved areas. Being full of natural beauty and with an abundance of British history. With the name of our spirits, our award-winning signature Pure Sussex Gin, we always try to emphasise our rich, agricultural surroundings and inspiration to all our products. The principal ingredients that grow in and around The South Downs are the building blocks of our brand and our flavour profiles.
So you may be asking, what sets us apart from our competition? What is our unique selling point? Well, please do read on!
Crafting Spirits with Dedication
The story of Harley House Distillery started with Adam's early morning thought, "I think I'll build a still." From handmade 'Moonshine' type stills to larger capacities acquired over time, our journey in distillation has been one of continuous growth and refinement. The acquisition of a 380-litre still in the summer of 2019 marked a significant milestone, yet we anticipate many more additions to come as we evolve. When Adam started his journey, he built his stil in our converted garage on the side of our house in Seaford. Over the years this has grown into a fully functioning distillery. All complying with local and government regulations. It can be a little chaotic at times, especially when we have loads of events going on, but we would'nt have it any other way!
Embracing Local Ingredients and Craftsmanship
At Harley House, we believe in producing spirits that capture the essence of Sussex. Our ingredients and botanicals are sourced locally whenever possible, ensuring a crisp and authentic sensory experience with every sip. From initial fermentation to the final distillation, every step is meticulously handled in-house to guarantee quality and flavour integrity.
Here at Harley House, we like to source our ingredients as locally as possible. Not only to ensure a crisp sensory experience of flavour but also to give our bottles character and the pure DNA of Sussex.100% produced by us from the initial ferment to the production of 92-94% ABV Alcohol using our column still which distils the ferment 11 times to ensure the purest and smoothest alcohol.
Our distillery prides itself on creating unique produce that showcases our local area and leaves a lasting memory on the tastebuds. All of our neutral alcohol and final gin production uses water from our aquifer in the South Downs in every batch we create. The water is thoroughly filtered through the South Downs to provide the purest beginning of any spirit. We use the freshwater to create initial alcohol solutions which is unusual however, it is something we particularly pride ourselves on.
"The distinctive chalk ridge of the South Downs often described as the spine of the South Downs National Park was formed at this time after layer after layer of marine deposits were laid down.
These deposits once formed a huge dome of chalk stretching across to Surrey and North Kent. Weathering and erosion during the last ice age sculpted the landscape into its valleys, distinct hilltops, and ridges.
The chalk acts like a giant sponge and stores water. This huge underground reservoir (or ‘aquifer’), feeds water from springs into streams and rivers. It also provides over 1.2 million people living in and around the National Park with fresh drinking water."
The Pursuit of Perfection
Creating unique and mouthwatering spirits is an art that involves achieving the perfect balance of base alcohol and ingredients. Through trials and experimentation with different yeasts and ingredients, we've honed our craft and learned invaluable lessons from distilleries worldwide, including those in Barbados.
Sustainable Practices and Attention to Detail
We take pride in our commitment to sustainability and quality. From using locally sourced water from South Downs' aquifer to employing eco-friendly packaging like Flexi-Hex, we aim to minimize waste and environmental impact while delivering exceptional products. Each bottle is hand-labeled, regulated, and numbered to ensure meticulous quality control before reaching our customers.
Our Signature Brand: Pure Sussex Gin
Our journey culminated in the launch of our signature brand, Pure Sussex Gin, in September 2017. The overwhelmingly positive response from our community fueled our dedication to producing small-batch spirits that reflect the unique character of our local area. It is now a triple award-winning gin with awards from IWSC ( International Wines & Spirits Competition) & The Great Taste Awards in 2020 & 2022 and in 2021 picking up another award with The London Spirits Competition.
Handcrafted with Care
As a family-run business, we pour our hearts into every aspect of production. Adam, our Creative Distiller, oversees each batch from start to finish, ensuring that every bottle meets his exacting standards. From labeling and stamping to filling and sealing, each step is performed with care and attention to detail
Our Brands within Harley House Distillery
We now have 3 brands coming out of our distillery. As we create our neutral spirit from scratch, it gives us the freedom to produce whatever we like, and so as well as making Gin, we also make Vodka, liqueurs, and rum, made entirely in Sussex.
Prohibition Rum: All our Rums at Harley House Distillery are made entirely in Sussex so therefore we can class ourselves as an English Rum. We are what is known as a 'Grain to Glass'. This means that we make our base spirit, of which we are 1 of 10 other distilleries in the whole of the UK to do this. This is what makes our Rum so distinctive.
Being a "Grain to Glass" distillery is a significant distinction in the spirits industry. It means that we can control every aspect of the production process, from selecting and sourcing the raw materials to distillation and ageing, ultimately leading to a more authentic and distinctive product.
The Curiosity Series: The Curiosity Series has been developed to showcase an ever-changing range of spirits
which we hope you will all be able to play a part in.
Our idea is to allow your curiosity in flavours to help us to develop brand-new spirits. We want to distill and bottle your amazing ideas! The view of this series is to stay curious and keep learning and developing new and interesting distillations and flavour combinations.
Currently, we have now launched six distinct flavours of gin and vodka, unique in taste and refreshingly thirst quenching. Each spirit has its own story to tell, so let’s dive into the world of our fantastical botanicals!
The Signature Sprit Range: Explore Harley House Distillery's signature spirits range, crafted to capture the essence of our local natural beauty. Indulge your tastebuds with our artisanal creations, leaving a lasting and memorable impression with every sip.
We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the heart of Harley House Distillery. Join us on a journey of flavor and craftsmanship, where every bottle tells a story of dedication and local pride. Cheers to spirits that leave a lasting impression!
Contact Us
If you're curious to learn more about our processes or our distillery, please reach out to us at info@harleyhousedistillery.co.uk. We'd love to share our passion for craft spirits and the unique story behind Harley House Distillery.
Experience the essence of Sussex in every sip—crafted with dedication, and and enjoyed with delight.
Visit us at www.harleyhousedistillery.co.uk for more information and to explore our range of spirits.