Highclere Castle Spirits

What Highclere Castle Spirits does

Highclere Castle Spirits, LLC operates the Highclere Castle Gin brand, a super-premium London Dry gin launched in 2019 and co-created by spirits entrepreneur Adam von Gootkin together with the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. The gin is distilled at Langley Distillery, England's oldest gin distillery, using one of the oldest working copper gin stills (dating to the 1800s) and water from an underground source, blended to 43.5% ABV. The 10-botanical recipe incorporates ingredients sourced from the Highclere Castle estate in Hampshire—including juniper, lime flower, orange peel, lavender, estate-produced honey, Lady Carnarvon Rose oil, and heirloom oats grown in gardens planted in the ninth century by the Bishops of Winchester—with the oats delivering a documented silky mouthfeel differentiator.

The brand's commercial operations span DTC e-commerce at highclerecastlegin.com (USD/GBP/EUR support), US national retail plus on- and off-premise accounts, and Canada through the LCBO in 120 Ontario retail locations, enabled by the Kinetic Brands partnership. The product portfolio consists of three expressions: the flagship London Dry Gin (2019), a limited-edition Barrel Aged Gin commemorating the centennial of King Tutankhamun's tomb discovery (2022, ~2,000 cases), and Peach Rose flavored gin (March 2026, $31.99/750ml at 40% ABV). Pricing is unit-based per bottle with no disclosed subscription tiers, and revenue mix is split across one-time wholesale distribution and DTC sales.

The company is privately held, headquartered at the Highclere Castle estate in Hampshire with US legal operations tied to Florida, and employs 11-50 staff. Laurent Schun was appointed CEO effective November 10, 2025, succeeding the co-founder-led phase and bringing prior experience from Pernod Ricard and Angostura Holdings to drive international expansion. The brand has accumulated over 150 international awards including a world-first perfect 100-point score from the Major Leagues Spirit Association (MLSA), and maintains registered trademarks covering its core brand names.

Name

Highclere Castle Spirits

Legal name

Highclere Castle Spirits, LLC

Website

https://highclerecastlegin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Highclere Castle Spirits produces and markets Highclere Castle Gin, a super-premium London Dry gin distilled at England's Langley Distillery with estate-sourced botanicals, sold to consumers through US national retail, LCBO distribution in Canada, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Super-Premium Gin Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (31214)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Super-premium gin
• Craft gin spirits
• Estate botanicals gin
• Barrel-aged gin
• Flavored gin expressions

Headquarters

HQ city

Centerbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Bottle Sales: The brand sells gin products directly through its e-commerce website (highclerecastlegin.com). Consumers purchase individual bottles of core gin, Barrel Aged gin, and new Peach Rose expression for home delivery.
2. Retail and On/Off-Premise Distribution: Products distributed through national retail accounts, on-premise (bars, restaurants) and off-premise (liquor stores) channels in the US and Canada via LCBO. Revenue realized through wholesale orders to distributors and retail partners.
3. Direct-to-Consumer Digital Engagement: Website features newsletter signup with free digital 'Butler's Guide to English Cocktails' as lead magnet, building a direct consumer database for ongoing sales and brand engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Highclere Castle Spirits produces and sells a portfolio of super-premium London Dry gins under the Highclere Castle Gin brand. The core offering consists of the flagship 10-botanical estate gin (43.5% ABV), a limited-edition barrel-aged expression, and a Peach Rose flavored gin, all distilled at Langley Distillery in England using estate-sourced botanicals from the Highclere Castle grounds. The brand is sold direct-to-consumer through its website, via US national retail and on/off-premise trade, and internationally through LCBO in Canada.

Product overview

Highclere Castle Spirits offers a portfolio of super-premium gin products centered around Highclere Castle in Hampshire, England. The core lineup consists of three distinct expressions: the flagship Highclere Castle Gin (launched 2019), a barrel-aged variant released in 2022 to commemorate the King Tutankhamun tomb centennial, and the new Peach Rose flavored gin launched in March 2026. All products feature botanicals sourced from the historic Highclere Castle estate and are distilled at Langley Distillery, England's oldest gin distillery. The brand emphasizes its British heritage, aristocratic elegance, and has earned over 130 international awards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Highclere Castle Gin Flagship super-premium London Dry gin crafted with 10 estate-sourced botanicals including juniper, lime flower, orange peel, lavender, and heirloom oats from the 9th-century monks' garden at Highclere Castle. Bottled at 43.5% ABV and positioned for sipping neat, on the rocks, or in classic cocktails; aimed at discerning consumers who value heritage and award-winning quality (over 130 international awards and a world-first 100-point MLSA score).
• Highclere Castle Barrel Aged Gin Limited-edition barrel-aged gin expression aged in Armagnac casks, spent Scotch whiskey barrels, and new American oak barrels, offering notes of vanilla, burnt orange, smoky cherry, plum, and a hint of peat. Designed for premium spirits collectors and gift buyers and limited to roughly 2,000 cases; not reproducible at scale.
• Highclere Castle Gin Peach Rose The brand's first flavored expression, a fruity-floral gin priced at $31.99 per 750ml at 40% ABV, featuring Lady Carnarvon Rose oil, estate-produced honey, and Italian white peaches with inspiration from Sauternes wine. Targeted at premium gin consumers seeking a sweeter, fruit-forward profile and distributed via US national retail, on/off-premise, and direct-to-consumer channels.

Quantifiable outcome

• First gin in the world to earn a perfect 100-point score from MLSA (Major Leagues Spirit Association)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 October 2025Highclere Castle Gin launched in Canada through a partnership with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), making it available in 120 retail locations across Ontario. The brand, supported by Kinetic Brands, marks a milestone in its global expansion as it seeks to appeal to Canadian consumers with its British heritage and award-winning profile.
• Kinetic BrandscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 October 2025Kinetic Brands provides operational support for Highclere Castle Gin's Canadian market launch, working with LCBO for Ontario distribution. This partnership enables the brand's entry into the Canadian market.
• Langley DistillerycoreTechnology or IntegrationHighclere Castle Gin is distilled at Langley Distillery, England's oldest gin distillery, using one of the oldest working copper gin stills dating to the 1800s. The distillery operates an ISO 14001:2015-compliant environmental management system through BSI. Production is conducted above an ancient underground water source.
• Queen's Commonwealth Trust (QCT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHighclere Castle Gin selected the Queen's Commonwealth Trust as its official charity partner. The QCT supports young leaders across the 56-nation Commonwealth (home to 2.4 billion people, 60% under age 30) in areas including agriculture, education, environment, health, and inclusion. The partnership honors the late Queen as QCT's Patron.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hendrick's Gin: Scottish super-premium gin famous for a botanical-forward, unusual-flavor profile and trade-tier cocktail positioning; both brands sell on distinctiveness and sip-rather-than-mix credibility at the $30+ price point.
• Chase Distillery: British estate-distilled super-pre premium gin and vodka range; comparable on UK farm/estate provenance, premium on-trade positioning, and multi-SKU portfolio expansion strategy.
• Sipsmith: London-based super-premium London Dry gin distilled in copper stills; directly competes on craft credentials, ABV (41.6% vs 43.5%), and on-trade placements with Highclere's estate-distilled narrative.
• Tanqueray No. Ten: Iconic super-premium London Dry gin from a major incumbent; competes head-to-head with Highclere on bartender menus and at-shelf in the $25–$35 super-premium tier.
• The Botanist Islay Dry Gin: Estate-themed premium gin that leans on provenance and 22 hand-foraged botanicals; the most directly comparable super-premium gin narrative to Highclere's estate-sourced botanicals and limited heritage story.
• Martin Miller's Gin: England-distilled, Iceland-bottled super-premium gin with strong cocktail-program reputation; similar super-premium price band and bartender-driven launch playbook.
• Aviation Gin: American super-premium craft gin; competes for similar bartender/cocktail-program placements in US on-premise and DTC channels where Highclere is building distribution.
• Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin: Highly awarded, story-driven super-premium gin (£40+/bottle) that competes on craft, regional narrative, and trophy prestige; parallels Highclere's awards and estate-authenticity positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Bombay Sapphire: Mass-premium gin from a global incumbent (Diageo/Bacardi portfolio); competes on supermarket and on-premise shelf space where Highclere secures placements and frames the brand as a craft alternative.
• Beefeater London Dry: Mass-market London Dry gin from Pernod Ricard—the same parent that produced the new Highclere CEO; provides context on the trade-tier gantry pricing and category benchmarks Highclere aims to disrupt.

Market position

Strengths6 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/highcleregin?lang=en
• Facebookfacebook.com/highclerecastlegin
• Instagraminstagram.com/highclerecastlegin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Highclere Castle Spirits