We all know that Cornwall has beaches in abundance and some of the UK’s finest seafood, but it’s also home to a huge selection of top-notch drinks best enjoyed through a distillery tour. Here, you can find all sorts of delicious tipples made from scratch - some of which have become household names.
Whether you prefer to sip on authentic Cornish rums, tempt your tastebuds with botanically infused gins, or to whet your lips on some of the land’s finest vodka, Cornwall’s distilleries are a treat waiting to be discovered.
Tarquin’s Gin, Wadebridge
Best for: Traditional method distillery tours
Southwestern Distillery, Higher Trevibban Farm, Wadebridge PL27 7SH
Famous for the Royal Cornwall Show, idyllic coastal and countryside walking, and its fantastic high street of boutiques, galleries and eateries, Wadebridge is also known as the home of Tarquin’s Gin. Now a household name, Tarquin’s Distillery offers some of the best distillery tours in the country - awarded the prestigious 2024 Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award. Tours provide insight to the unique botanicals added to their creations and the fascinating traditional methods used throughout production, including the role of their four copper vats. Plus, a tasting journey where you will sample their core gin range. For one of the best things to do in Wadebridge, head over to their distillery on a windswept hill overlooking the Cornish coastal landscape.
Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm, Truro
Best for: Cider and spirit making
Penhallow, Truro TR4 9LW
When you think of Truro, your imagination conjures up images of Gothic architecture, one of the most impressive Georgian thoroughfares in the country, and the state of the art Hall for Cornwall performance venue. But a few miles outside of the city centre and its fantastic range of antique shops and retailers, Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm has been making a name for itself. Now sold in UK supermarkets and around the globe, Healeys cyder is another Cornish household name, but what many don’t realise is that they also distill their cyder to make delicious brandy and gin. Take part in one of their guided tours to learn everything there is to know about cyder and how they turn their homegrown apples into spirits. Afterwards, don’t forget to visit the farmyard to see the pigs and goats and browse the gift shop full of cyder-related products.
Colwith Farm Distillery, Lostwithiel
Best for: Farm-to-table experience
Pelyn Cross, Lanlivery PL22 0JG
Also nestled just outside of Fowey is Colwith Farm Distillery. Cornwall’s first plough-to-bottle distillery, they produce award-winning vodka from scratch on their fifth generation family farm. Guided distillery tours teach you step by step how to make vodka from locally grown potatoes and provide samples of their award-winning vodkas and gins. Other tours include a Gin or Vodka Masterclass and Gin School, where participants distill a bespoke gin, tailored to their tastes. There’s also a top-notch café on site, which continues the farm-to-fork ethos and serves up their own seasonally grown produce.
17 Duke Street (Padstow Distilling), Padstow
Best for: Top quality botanical cocktails
17 Duke Street, Padstow PL28 8AB
Padstow is known for its fantastic dining scene, offering some of the region’s finest seafood - best enjoyed after exploring the coastal path or the estuary scenery of the Camel Trail. However, it’s also making a name for itself for its tipples, with Padstow Distilling winning gold at the International Wine and Spirits Competition 2024 for its classic gin. By blending coastal botanicals foraged from the coastline around Padstow with barley grown from the fields above the Camel Estuary, their secret lies in the provenance of their ingredients. Head to their bar on 17 Duke Street to sample premium spirits infused with rose, grapefruit, or cranberry and orange. Other favourites include their rhubarb vodka and their delicious cocktail menu. Expect a smooth taste, with refreshing Atlantic flavours in every sip - and the chance to kick back and relax in one of Cornwall’s best loved seaside destinations.
Pocketful of Stones, Penzance
Best for: Passionate gin tasting tours
13 Causewayhead, Penzance TR18 2SN
The UK’s most westerly town, Penzance has long been drawing visitors for its mild climate and stunning bayside scenery. Overlooking St Michael’s Mount and home to the famous geothermal Jubilee Pool, it’s also known for its beautiful sandy beaches and quirky alleyways and walkways. In the heart of the town, Pocketful of Stones are known for their broad collection of Cornish gin, rum and whiskey brought to life through their gin tasting tours. They’ll teach you how to sip gin like a pro so you can gain a deeper understanding of their qualities and flavours. Run by a group of friends and hospitality experts, passion for the history of spirit making and the myths of the Cornish coast underpin everything they do. This passion is infectious, meaning you are guaranteed to learn something new.
Fowey Valley Cidery & Distillery, Fowey
Best for: Make your own gin
Restormel Industrial Estate, Fowey Valley Cider Unit 11, Lostwithiel PL22 0HG
We love Fowey for its gorgeous riverside scenery, cobbled high street full of independent stores and bookshops, and boat trips which allow you to get a deeper understanding of the harbour’s colourful history. Just inland, Fowey Valley Cidery & Distillery in nearby Lostwithiel gives us another great reason to visit this lovely Cornish corner. Known for their small group personal tours, headed up by owner Barrie and his wife Geraldine, they’ve been cooking up ciders for 25 years. However, our favourite part is the hands-on workshop which sees you creating your own botanically infused gin. Barrie is light and full of humour, which makes this distillery tour feel more personal than some of the others. Don’t forget to grab a bottle of their delicious crème caramel liqueur from the shop afterwards.
The Cornish Distilling Company, Bude
Best for: Rum made from scratch
Norton Barton Artisan Food Village, Bude EX23 9LG
The perfect destination for a holiday by the sea, Bude is known for its beautiful canal, bustling high street, and its iconic tidal pool at Summerleaze Beach. Overlooking the town, perched on the hills, it’s also home to Cornwall’s first distillery making rum from scratch. The Cornish Distilling Company’s tours give lucky attendees the chance to visit the factory floor and see the process of rum production, from the fermentation of the molasses to the bottling of the finished product. And, of course, to sample some of their creations whilst enjoying views over the Cornish coast and countryside. Based in Norton Barton Artisan Food Village, a trip to the distillery should be combined with browsing the shops of some of the country's top artisan food producers. Including locally made cheese, Cornish charcuterie, and plenty more, it’s a chance to sample the best of Cornwall’s food products.
Loveday, Falmouth
Best for: Organic and sustainable gin and rum
Bickland Business Centre, 7 The Wave, Falmouth TR11 4SN
Known for its Michelin restaurants, huge choice of waterside pubs and bars, and maritime history best discovered with a trip to the Maritime Museum, Falmouth also has a vibrant creative community. In true keeping with the style of the town, Loveday Distilling brings a fantastic collection of rums and gins lovingly crafted by two ex-professional chefs. What’s more, they pay huge attention to sustainability and their rums are certified organic. Loveday’s guided tours provide you with behind-the-scenes access, led by one of the distillery's co-founders, Chloe or Daisy. You’ll discover how they make their award-winning gin and organic rum, whilst being treated to a generous flight of all of their creations. You’ll also hear some of the stories of the business and receive insider tips on distilling and flavours.
Copperfish Distillery, Looe
Best for: Onsite bar
The Old Marine Store, The Quay, Looe PL13 1DX
Famous for its banjo-shaped pier and seven-arched bridge, Looe is a beautiful fishing town with two beaches and characterful streets. Looe Island is a favourite with wildlife lovers and a haven for seals and seabirds. On the quay, overlooking the water, Copperfish Distillery draws visitors in with its small-batch gins which are made totally inhouse. In addition to their original dry gin, more recent creations include Gold Rum and Kerbon, a Cornish Bourbon-style spirit. To try them for yourself, make your way to the on-site bar, which also regularly hosts live music. Or, keep an eye out for their spirit tasting events which they advertise on their website.
Treguddick Distillery, Launceston
Best for: Tasting tour and dinner
Treguddick Manor, Launceston PL15 7JN
Last but not least, Treguddick Distillery sits in the grounds of a historic manor house near Launceston. Explore the idyllic harbourside village of Boscastle nearby and enjoy a walk along the South West Coast Path, before treating yourself to a tasting tour and dinner at the distillery. Featuring a state-of-the-art distillery and geodesic biomes that house over 70 species of botanicals and ingredients, Treguddick’s tasting tours teach you everything about the distilling process of their vodkas, gins, single malts, and liqueurs. There’s also an onsite bar and restaurant, where you can treat yourself to more of their tipples or enjoy top quality nosh which is homemade using seasonal ingredients. Other things to do in Boscastle include enjoying the quaint cafés and tearooms, and an exploration of the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic.
Ready to unlock your inner mixologist and become an expert in Cornish spirits? Explore our holiday cottages in Cornwall, where you can relax and recover after your tasting tours.
Tags: Cornwall