In 2011, our founders Dr Andy Reason and Dr Norman Lewis left behind their roles as scientists to pursue their passion for craft spirits and open Kent's first gin distillery in 200 years. With one eye on the science behind making quality spirits and another on proudly displaying all that their home county of Kent has to offer, they duly created Anno Distillers and began the journey of a lifetime.
Started in Maidstone and now Nestled away in the sleepy yet picturesque village of Marden is where the magic happens. While the journey so far has been a story of success, it hasn’t always been plain sailing. In the early days when Andy, Norman and Kim were bubbling with ideas and enthusiasm they had to endure seemingly endless waits, including an arduous 18-month wait for a licence, but the perseverance paid off. As a celebration of this momentous event, we adorned our beloved 300-litre copper pot still with the name ‘Patience’ as a tribute to those challenging times.
Patience stands proudly as the centrepiece at our distillery, gleaming in all her copper beauty, and every one of Anno’s delicious spirits is still made in her to this day. Since those early days we’ve continued apace to accumulate much praise from both fans and experts alike, culminating in some outstanding recognition at various awards. We’re extremely proud of each one we’ve received, including Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Awards.
So how have we achieved such success? Unlike many distillers, our founders’ life-long science background gives us a practical understanding of the equipment capabilities, allowing us to make the highest quality products. We utilise our skills to craft products designed for your pleasure, full of both intense flavours and subtle notes. But perhaps most of all, each and every one of our employees has a real passion for what we do, helping to ensure that each bottle is bursting with our famous flavours.
