How long is the gin school?

The session is allotted three hours but typically takes about 2 hours 15 minutes from arrival to finish.

Can I get an engraved bottle?

Yes—engraved bottles are an optional extra if ordered in advance (allow at least one week for engraving).

Is the distillery accessible?

The building has steps with a railing and shared toilet facilities via Middleton’s Hotel; a hearing loop is available.

What’s included in the price?

Two drinks (including a G&T on arrival), a guided tasting of core gins, gin school instruction, and everything to make a 700ml bottle plus 10% off purchases.

Is the experience suitable for groups?

Yes—small groups are encouraged; the distillery reserves the right to refund sessions with fewer than four guests booked.

Do I need prior experience?

No—this is designed for beginners and curious drinkers; staff guide you through botanical choice and distillation.

Make Your Own Gin at York Distillery: Hands-On Gin School in York | Distillery

Adventure Brief

Turn tasting into making at York Distillery: a three-hour hands-on gin school inside Middleton’s Hotel where you blend botanicals and distil your own 700ml bottle to take home. Ideal for curious visitors seeking a memorable, craft-led experience in York.

2–3 hours

easy

From £126.00

At York Distillery, tucked inside Middleton’s Hotel in York, England, you can craft a bottle of gin that carries the city's character. This hands-on three-hour experience begins with a G&T on arrival and a guided tasting of the distillery's core gins, led by expert distillers who explain the history of gin and the technical steps of distillation. Guests move from tasting to the botanical garden, where choices of juniper, citrus, local herbs and rare spices are weighed and blended to personal recipes. The production still—polished copper with visible condensers—anchors the room, a clear demonstration of how steam, spirit and botanicals become flavour. Under instruction, each participant distils, records and bottles a 700ml spirit to take home, sealed with labels and optionally engraved. This experience stands out in York’s outdoor and cultural fabric because it’s not just a tasting: it’s a small-batch manufacturing lesson inside a historic hotel building overlooking central York. The session blends craft tourism with tangible souvenirs; most people leave having learned how botanical ratios change mouthfeel and aroma, and why juniper-forward London styles differ from floral or citrus-led modern gins. The distillery garden contributes fresh leaves and flowers to the session, adding a literal, place-based element to your bottle that ties the spirit to York’s microclimate. Practical details matter: the session fits into about three hours and usually takes roughly 2 hours 15 minutes; it's an adults-only experience (18+). Meetings are at York Distillery (within Middleton’s Hotel). The building has steps and shared toilet facilities through Middleton’s reception; a hearing loop is available. You’ll receive two drinks during the session, a walk-through of production, a tasting to calibrate your palate, and everything needed to produce a 700 ml bottle, plus 10% off further York Gin purchases. Optional add-ons include an engraved bottle and a Yorkshire tapas tiffin or charcuterie board. Why book it? For visitors to York who want more than a bar crawl—this is a creative, sensory workshop that pairs local flavour with hands-on craft. It’s ideal as a memorable gift, a team-building outing, or an immersive stop on a cultural weekend in York. Leave with a bottle you made, a clearer sense of gin’s history and practical notes on distillation, and a story to tell back home about the day you distilled a spirit in the heart of York. Staff are happy to answer questions about sourcing: many botanicals come from regional suppliers and the distillery emphasizes seasonal selection, which can influence the character of your gin. If you choose the tiffin or charcuterie, book in advance. Small groups encourage discussion and comparison across recipes, making this a social learning environment—a craft workshop perfect for curious drinkers and makers who like to test and iterate.