Nelson's Distillery & School

What Nelson's Distillery & School does

Nelson's Distillery & School is a UK-based craft spirits producer operating from a Staffordshire distillery (Uttoxeter) with a retail and Click & Collect point in Devon (Muddiford). Founded in 2015 by chef-turned-distiller Neil Harrison, the company specialises in small-batch gin and rum produced on a single 150L copper pot still named Victory, anchored by a proprietary 27-botanical core recipe that underpins London Dry No.7 Gin, Navy Strength Gin, and flavoured extensions such as Gluggle Jug Gin, Timur Gin, Rhubarb & Custard Gin, and the Roy Wood Cherry Blossom Supergin collaboration. Rum expressions include Signature Blend, Roasted Pineapple, and Signature Spiced. Recipes are protected as trade secrets and the brand is trademarked.

The commercial model is direct-to-consumer e-commerce via a Shopify storefront with UK-wide Royal Mail 48 Tracked shipping and free delivery over £100, supplemented by Click & Collect at the Devon retail location. Pricing spans £6.50 miniatures to £55 premium 70cl bottles, with curated gift sets at £20-£35. A secondary revenue stream is contract distilling, where the company produces bespoke spirits for hospitality groups and brands, including Le Gavroche Gin for Michel Roux Jr.'s two-Michelin-star restaurant, JK Artisan Dry Gin for Drake & Morgan Group's 23 London venues, and 1873 Gin for Denstone College. The distillery school that previously formed the company's experiential proposition ceased operations in 2024 following an acquisition by Little Silver Wines and Spirits under Stu Baillie. Founder Neil Harrison passed away in April 2025; operations continue under new ownership, which reports successful recreation of the original recipes and continues to release new products such as the 2026 Signature Spiced Rum.

Name

Nelson's Distillery & School

Legal name

Nelson's Distillery & School Ltd

Website

https://nelsonsdistillery.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Nelson's Distillery & School is a UK craft gin and rum producer using a single 150L copper still and a proprietary 27-botanical recipe, selling direct-to-consumer via Shopify and through contract distilling for hospitality brands. Now under Little Silver Wines and Spirits ownership following 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE)

Keywords

• Craft gin distilling
• Craft rum production
• Contract distilling services
• Small-batch spirits
• Botanical spirit recipes

Headquarters

HQ city

Uttoxeter

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Spirit Sales: Online retail sales of proprietary gin and rum products through Shopify e-commerce platform. Products sold in various sizes (5cl, 20cl, 70cl, 1L pouches) with direct-to-consumer shipping across the UK.
2. Contract Distilling: Bespoke spirit manufacturing services for businesses, restaurants, and brands seeking custom-branded spirits. Notable clients include Michel Roux Jr. (Le Gavroche Gin), Drake & Morgan Group (JK Gin), and Denstone College (1873 Gin).
3. Rum Products: Caribbean-origin rums blended and bottled in the UK, including Signature Blend Rum, Roasted Pineapple Rum, and Signature Spiced Rum, sold through the same e-commerce channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Nelson's Distillery & School is a small-batch craft distiller based in the United Kingdom producing handcrafted gin and rum using a signature 27-botanical recipe and a 150-litre copper pot still named Victory. The company sells its spirits direct-to-consumer through a Shopify e-commerce store in multiple sizes (5cl miniatures, 20cl, 70cl bottles, and 1L pouches), including curated gift sets paired with branded glassware, and offers bespoke contract distilling services for hospitality businesses and brands seeking custom-branded spirits.

Product overview

Nelson's Distillery & School is a craft spirits producer specializing in small-batch gin and rum. The core product portfolio consists of seven gin expressions (Gluggle Jug Gin, London Dry No.7 Gin, Navy Strength Gin, Rhubarb & Custard Gin, Timur Gin, and Roy Wood Cherry Blossom Supergin collaboration) and three rum expressions (Signature Blend Rum, Roasted Pineapple Rum, and Signature Spiced Rum). Products are available in multiple sizes (70cl, 20cl, 5cl, and 1L pouches) and include various gift sets pairing spirits with branded glassware. The company also offers contract distilling services for bespoke spirits creation, having partnered with celebrity chefs Michel Roux Jr. and Matt Tebbutt. The distillery school is no longer operating under new ownership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gluggle Jug Gin

Quantifiable outcome

• Gluggle Jug Gin named Craft Gin Club's Gin of the Month June 2019
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Matt TebbuttcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022BBC Saturday Kitchen host and renowned chef Matt Tebbutt collaborated with Nelson's to create Guilty Pleasure Citrus Spiced Gin. Inspired by Nelson's Timur Gin, the collaboration features bold citrus notes with Szechuan pepper and pink grapefruit.
• Michel Roux Jr. / Le GavrocheflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021World-renowned chef Michel Roux Jr. partnered with Nelson's to create Le Gavroche Gin - the pouring gin for his 2 Michelin-star restaurant in Mayfair. The collaboration expanded to include Michel Roux Gin celebrating the Roux family legacy. Michel personally collaborated with founder Neil Harrison on recipe development using 28 botanicals.
• Roy WoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegendary musician and former member of The Move and ELO, Dr Roy Wood, crafted his fourth collaboration with Nelson's - Cherry Blossom Supergin. Both recipe and artwork were personally designed by Roy Wood, inspired by his song 'Cherry Blossom Clinic'.
• Drake & Morgan GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLondon-based restaurant group with 23 bars and restaurants commissioned Nelson's to create JK Artisan Dry Gin - a custom-branded spirit for their extensive venue portfolio. The gin was designed for versatility in both neat drinking and cocktails.
• Denstone CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate school in Staffordshire commissioned Nelson's to create 1873 Gin for their 150-year anniversary celebration. Faculty members designed recipes under expert guidance, with a student creating the label artwork.
• Craft Gin ClubcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGin subscription service featuring Nelson's products monthly. Gluggle Jug Gin was named Gin of the Month (June 2019) and voted Best Gin of 2019 at the Craft Gin Club Big Gin Awards.
• Wade CeramicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeritage pottery partnership for Gluggle Jug Gin packaging, celebrating Staffordshire Potteries' craftsmanship. The gin is named after the iconic gurgling jug first founded by Thomas Forester & Son in the late 1800s and later produced by Wade Ceramics.
• Little Silver Wines and SpiritsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew owner of Nelson's Distillery under Stu Baillie's leadership. Family-run business combining sawmill operations with online spirits retail. Continued focus on producing high-quality spirits using original recipes with traditional techniques.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering the online store, providing the technical infrastructure for product listings, checkout, and order management.
• Royal MailcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK shipping partner for online orders, providing 48 Tracked delivery service for customer orders across the United Kingdom.
• AccessAbleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccessibility assessment partnership providing detailed access guides for the venue to ensure inclusivity for all guests.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sipsmith: London's pioneering craft gin distillery (now owned by Pernod Ricard) and an order of magnitude larger than Nelson's, but a direct reference point for the UK small-batch gin-plus-hospitality-channel business model Nelson's operates.
• Edinburgh Gin: Scotland-based craft gin brand (Ian Macleod Distillers) with much broader distribution and tourism-tied heritage, but overlapping product range and UK premium-gin target customer.

Direct peers

• Chase Distillery: Herefordshire-based craft distillery producing gin, vodka and whisky with a similar B2B contract-distilling offering alongside their own consumer brand. Closest comparable on business model — small-batch production plus bespoke white-label services for hospitality and retail brands.
• Copper Rivet Distillery: Kent-based small-batch distillery producing gin, vodka and whisky with a similar premium hospitality and gift-set distribution model. Comparable size and product diversification across gin plus brown spirits.
• Warner Edwards Distillery: Herefordshire craft gin distillery of similar size operating on-farm copper stills. Comparable small-batch production scale, premium pricing and D2C-led UK business model.
• Brighton Gin: Sussex-based small-batch gin distillery (UK's first certified carbon-neutral) with similar premium retail, hospitality-on-trade and gifting emphasis. Comparable capacity scale and D2C mix.
• Portobello Road Gin: London-based small-batch gin maker using a single copper still (Juno) with multi-botanical recipes. Closely comparable craft positioning, capacity scale and D2C/trade mix to Nelson's.
• Tarquin's Gin (Southwestern Distillery): Cornwall-based craft gin producer with a comparable founder-chef origin story and small-batch, multi-botanical product philosophy. Similar premium positioning, D2C e-commerce and trade customer mix.
• Cotswold Distillery: Cotswolds-based premium craft spirits producer offering gin and whisky from a single-site distillery. Comparable visitor/retail experience and gift-led premium positioning to Nelson's.

Emerging players

• Half Hitch Gin: Birmingham-based small-batch craft gin distillery co-founded by celebrity-endorser involvement. Similar premium positioning and D2C-led model, though smaller and earlier-stage than Nelson's on hospitality contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nelsonsgin
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nelsonsdistillery
• Facebookfacebook.com/nelsonsdistillery
• Instagraminstagram.com/nelsonsdistillery
• TikToktiktok.com/@nelsonsdistillery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Nelson's Distillery & School