Spirit of the Downs

The south of England in general, and Sussex in particular, have earned a reputation for producing exceptional wines in recent years, and many vineyards offer fascinating tours to members of the public. At Spirit of the Downs, however, you get a chance to see how various highly regarded spirits can be created using the materials that some winemakers leave behind.

The solid remains of fruit after pressing are used here to manufacture a tempting range of products, including brandy, vodka and coffee liqueur. These can be enjoyed on their own, with various mixers or they can serve as the foundation for a selection of delicious cocktails.

If you’re keen to find out more about the techniques and processes, why not take a tour? The 45-minute distillery tour focuses on the journey from grape to glass, while the 2-hour founders tour goes into more detail about the distillery and its fascinating story. As you might expect, both tours include a chance to taste the finished products.

Spirit of the Downs is located on the Bolney Wine estate, close to Haywards Heath and within easy reach of Crawley, Burgess Hill and Horsham.