What happens when a duo, bound by a love of adventure and the pursuit of the perfect gin, decide to take the plunge and start a distillery of their own?

Well, in the case of husband and wife team Rachel Hicks and Andrew Parsons, you get The Sky Wave Distilling Co, an Oxfordshire-based business that has been picking up a wealth of awards for its regarded spirits since starting out in 2018. 

And when it comes to the world of distilling, it’s probably safe to say that few companies have founders that have been BBC reporters and nightclubbing with former Home Secretaries or those that have delivered humanitarian aid into Communism-ravaged Albania or commanded the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

But when it comes to Sky Wave, that’s very much business as usual.

Nestled in the heart of Rachel and Andrew’s home county of Oxfordshire, Sky Wave was born from a commitment to craftsmanship. Founded in 2018, Sky Wave gins combine quality produce, with globally sourced premium botanicals.

And in the case of their flagship release, the Signature London Dry Gin, they can boast it being The World’s Best Contemporary London Dry Gin thanks to the raft of accolades it has picked up along the way.

But for the duo, running a distillery wasn’t always part of the plan and in this episode Andrew tells us how they’ve navigated the rollercoaster of distilling, catering for demand and ensuring their priority is always world-class liquid.