Our Story
“The alchemy of distillation is not only in its ability to capture and record, at its finest, it is a link to memories of flavour, aroma and experience.”
Barney Wilczak | Distiller
In these spirits we find a canvas that draws on our own experiences and the landscapes from which our ingredients originate.
The artistry to work in this way demands a certain approach both to thought and to quality. And with this shared focus two friends, one Portuguese and one English, found themselves in a discussion of how to draw a thread through Portugal, expressing its landscapes, heritage and diversity.
Catia Mesquita, is a native to the Algarve. Here waters of lapis lazuli yield some of the world’s finest sea salt (flor de sal). Ancient olive groves hang heavy with fruit and aromatic citrus abound. Her home is now in Porto where her artistry and superb understanding of flavour is let play upon fabulous cakes and confectionary whilst her surroundings speak of the Port trade; ancient bodega stuffed to their vaulted ceilings with some of the most iconic wines in the world.
The work of Barney Wilczak at the Capreolus Distillery has brought cult status to his small and extremely rare expressions. Terroir driven eaux de vie alongside effortlessly complex gins have led to sommeliers at some of the world’s finest restaurants describing him as ‘Truly one of the best, if not the best distiller in the UK right now’. Based amongst ancient woodlands, rich with roe deer and sweetly scented lily of the valley, his home is in the idyllic countryside of England’s Cotswolds region. It is here that a very special still is hidden in the old greenhouse of his childhood garden and where Ginout was destined to be created.
And with this meeting of minds a plan was born. An intellectual and artistic foray that combined ground breaking techniques aging inside - G(in) traditional fortified portuguese wine barrels and outside (out) - cork with an impeccable range of botanicals that chart a journey from pine filled forests, olive groves, biodiverse cork forests and through to the sea. Wildly extravagant and expressive, it is an illustration of a combined history and one of Europe’s most stunning landscapes.
