Gold-plated backstage pass

As an author and journalist, I am often allowed to see behind the scenes – the things people don’t often get to see – and usually I write about them.

Now, I’ve put my inside knowledge to good use by making a podcast and sharing my backstage pass with listeners. For my very first podcast, I was lucky enough to visit Summerhall in Edinburgh, home of Pickering’s Gin and the result is now available to listen to here

I met the distillery founders Marcus Pickering and Matt Gammell to hear about their journey from property development to using a secret family recipe to produce a range of award-winning gins, now famous worldwide.

They – and their team – were happy for us to explore all corners of the distillery and learn about how they make Pickering’s gins. Not only that, but they were also up for explaining some of their more quirky secrets. We joined visitors on a tour and loved hearing what they thought of the gins. The podcast really is the result of a gold-plated backstage pass.

Marcus Pickering, co-founder of Pickering’s Gin, said: “It’s great to have such a well-researched podcast out there. The team really did their homework and have produced a lovely two episode series that reflects life at our distillery. It’s a great mix of factual and fun – if you’re looking to learn about how craft gin is really made, then this is the best source of information on the brands that make up our industry”.

The two episodes are the first in a new series, The Craft Gin Podcast, produced by Glasgow-based production company Talking Shop Media and launched in conjunction with the Scottish Gin Society.

The Craft Gin Podcast will tour distilleries to hear the stories of the people behind the spirit and sample the many variants on offer.

Stephen White, founder of the Scottish Gin Society said: “At a time when the Scottish Gin community is dealing with the issues that the COVID outbreak is continuing to cause, it’s fantastic to see a new podcast launching that will celebrate the skill and dedication of those behind our wonderful Scottish Gin industry. We’re proud to be a part of it and looking forward to sharing the stories with even more gin-lovers.”

Learn more about Pickering’s Gin here

and the Scottish Gin Society here

Listen here on https://the-craft-gin-podcast.simplecast.com/