Speight’s en-gin-eers top range of products

After years of artisan craft gin distilling, perfecting recipes and flavours, SP8 Gin has been unveiled to the public.

The family-run business based in Northowram isn’t just by-the-book gin making – it’s a full-on family passion.

Peter Speight runs the concern alongside his son-in-law Daniel, his wife Angie, daughter Victoria, and son Simon, who drives the business and marketing.

There are 12 botanicals used in SP8 gin, most of which are kept under lock and key, to ensure the recipe is a Speight family secret.

Peter said: “Not in our wildest dreams did we think that demand for our gins was going to be so popular.

“Our ‘signature gin’ recipe includes responsibly sourced botanicals and has taken years to perfect. It is the base for all our additional flavours including bilberry which have been hand-picked in Shibden Valley and rhubarb which is from our local farm shop.

“Our latest fruit gin Huckleberry is a blend of bilberries and blueberries which creates an explosion of flavours. Each batch has some unique tastes which are released during distillation as the natural oils from the berries is infused with the botanicals and the alcohol.

“We have to say a special thank you to our local community, council and HMRC for all their support.”

Peter is obsessed with quality and sourcing natural products and he spends many hours developing future flavours from local products through his understanding of how the botanicals influence the gin.

Having developed his unique blends, rigorous tasting sessions follow, which are carried out to establish which tonics and flavours are needed to get the full enjoyment and experience from the product.