Shakespeare Distillery has scooped four awards at the 2022 Stratford Herald Business & Tourism Awards held on 27 October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The independent artisan spirit producer based in Stratford-upon-Avon won awards in the Best Independent Retailer category, Best Green Business category, Top Attraction category and to top it off were crowned Stratford-upon-Avon’s Business of the Year 2022.
Shakespeare Distillery, which was founded in 2015 by Simon Picken and Peter Monks, is Stratford’s only working distillery and produces a series of sprits including Stratford Gin, Jester Rums and distillery specials which also include vodka, Limoncello/Orangecello and a series of unique distillery specials. The Distillery is also a destination providing daily tours and other experiences including a successful Gin School, Cocktail Masterclasses and River Avon Gin Tasting Cruises.
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic the team launched a pop-up store at 1 High Street in Stratford, selling its own products in addition to supporting other local independent drinks producers. Due to its success the team have recently taken the long-term lease of 1 High Street and launched ‘Judiths’, its new town centre tasting rooms and Rum School in the two upper-floors above the retail shop.
Peter Monks, Director at Shakespeare Distillery said “We are absolutely thrilled and proud to have won not one, but four awards and to be counted amongst such a brilliant group of local businesses. In August, our business became Carbon Neutral after a full-scale carbon footprint assessment and off-setting programme, so we are especially proud of winning Best Green Business. Winning these awards is testament to our outstanding team who work incredibly hard day in, day out producing our handcrafted spirits, and delivering a five-star visitor experience”.
Andy Veale, Herald Editor said: “Thank you to everyone who entered the Business and Tourism Awards and to those that came along and made it such a fantastic and memorable evening. Thanks goes to our headline sponsor Stratford District Council, and all the businesses who sponsored the categories and had the hard job of picking winners from all the worthy finalists.”
Shakespeare Distillery is no stranger to winning awards, in 2020 and 2022 the company won gold and silver in the West Midlands Tourism Awards for their destination distillery experiences. The company was also awarded the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award in 2022 and 2021 and a silver medal in the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2021 for its Jester White Rum.
