Sipsmith’s new supper club brings fine-dining into the distillery

In association with

Sipsmith’s for sipping — it’s right there in the name. It’s not for knocking back or chugging down, diluted in great big glasses of tonic. It’s not Swigsmith, is it? It’s Sipsmith — and it’s a gin to be savoured. So quit your quaffing and listen up, because the British brand’s latest campaign doubles down on a more measured, indulgent approach to drinking.

‘The Sip is Everything’ is all about stillness, and the chance to really relish Sipsmith’s award-winning gins. The distillery believes a neat sip of its spirits offers the ultimate proof point: honest, immediate, nowhere to hide any imperfections or flaws. And that level of scrutiny means tuning out, zoning in and taking your time.

To stretch out that sipping experience even further, however, this latest campaign has also cooked up an additional, delectable idea: a supper club. Or, to give it Sipsmith’s tasteful twist, a ‘Sipper Club’.

Because what’s more social and celebratory than a well-made meal? Hosted within the Sipsmith Distillery — itself tucked away in Chiswick, one of west London’s calmest corners — dinner party guests will be invited to explore complex flavour pairings, haute cuisine and creative cocktails during a series of chef residencies (which recently launched with the maximalist plating and polished Mediterranean fare of Giuseppe Trezza).

Similar to Sipsmith itself — a brand that has, over its 17 spirited years, unveiled gins flavoured with everything from scotch bonnet to banana bread — the Sipper Club has been designed to evolve and experiment as it grows, giving chefs from across cuisines the freedom to play in the distillery-dining space.

It’s a perfect pairing. Because, among spirits, gin is perhaps the most naturally suited to gastronomy. With its constellation of botanicals, it behaves like a liquid herb garden, carrying aromas and bridging sweet and savoury without overpowering a dish in the way darker spirits can.

Every residency will be centred around a thoughtfully composed, multi-course menu — and each evening will begin the same way: with a bespoke welcome cocktail served from the Sipsmith gin bus, the distillery’s iconic rolling gin parlour. Think canapés, conversation and a tour of the distillery after-hours, culminating in a theatrical reveal: an elegantly appointed dining table set among Sipsmith’s handsome copper stills.

Then comes the food. Every chef’s menu will be designed to tease out the botanicals and unctuous flavour notes of Sipsmith’s gins, and each dish will be served alongside a bespoke cocktail, created to complement, contrast and elevate the flavours on the plate. The inspiration behind each course will be explained by the chef who cooked it — while the wider Sipsmith team will offer guests their own insights into those gastro-paired cocktails.

It’s all very Sipsmith. But the distillery has long been considered a pioneer in the gin industry, having launched the Sipsmith Sipping Society — a subscription-based gin club delivering experimental spirits to members — over a decade ago, in 2015. And, unlike the less-discerning drinkers of other gins, this norm-defying streak tends to attract likeminded individuals: sippers who appreciate innovation, and the time it takes to recognise it.

The Sipper Club, Sipsmith promises, is the perfect opportunity to savour these moments and enjoy all of the brand’s forward thinking. Elevated by calm surroundings and considered pacing, it’s a chance to enjoy these drinks and dishes not only in the right place, but at the right pace.

Which brings us back to ‘The Sip is Everything’. The distillery’s new campaign is built on the softly decadent, gently hedonistic privilege of taking your time, and having the guidance to make the most of your gin. Everything else — even the world-class food — is simply a garnish.