- SPITFIRE HERITAGE DISTILLERS -
THE FINEST GIN & VODKA IN BLIGHTY
​In the spirit of the Spitfire, created to be the best
The Spitfire is much more than a vintage aircraft.
It is a Great British icon that symbolises the coming together of all the Nations of the Commonwealth, as we stood together in defence of our common human values and freedoms that transcend culture, religion and gender.
WE BELIEVE EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE FREEDOM TO LIVE, LOVE AND DRINK WITH WHOMSOEVER WE CHOOSE
ABOUT
PROUD OF OUR SPITFIRE HERITAGE
In January 2016 Ian Hewitt of the Spitfire Heritage Trust and Dr John Walters started talking Spitfires.
​
John and Ian were very clear that in paying tribute to the Spitfire one has a responsibility to aim high, to be the best. Excellence being the prerequisite at every stage.
In order to pay tribute to the Spitfire they had to create one of the finest Gin's and Vodka's in Britain.
​
Spitfire Heritage Gin's journey starts with the planting of a crop of sugar beat. We harvest it, take it into our barn and distil once, over a six metre pipe in hand beaten 200 litre copper pot stills.
​
What comes out of the end of the pipe is our silky smooth Supermarine Vodka. Named after Supermarine; a British aircraft manufacturer who famously built the spitfire.
​
We then take our Supermarine Vodka adding; Rosemary for Remembrance, Borage for Courage, Blood Orange for the Fallen, Rose Petals for the ladies of the ATA , alongside Juniper, Star Anise, Coriander and Almonds.
​
We then distil to create Spitfire Heritage Gin.
In the Spirit of the Spitfire created to be the best.
OUR PRODUCTS
IN THE SPIRIT OF THE SPITFIRE
CREATED TO BE THE BEST
SUPERMARINE VODKA
£42.00 | 54% VODKA | 70CL
Supermarine designed and built the Spitfire. Not ones to create a thing of mere purpose, the chaps at Supermarine created an aircraft of absolute beauty, built to be the best. The Spitfire.
The defender of our freedom to live and love and drink Vodka with whomsoever we choose.
OUR BRAND STORY
IT TOOK A CERTAIN TYPE OF WOMAN TO FLY THE SPITFIRE
Confident that we had created one of the finest gins in the world, we now needed to create a brand to do it justice.
​
The 1930’s were the triumphant hey-day for gin, and the decade that saw the Birth of a Great British and Commonwealth icon: The Spitfire.
The defender of our freedom to live and love and drink Gin with whomsoever we choose.
​
It took a certain type of person to fly a Spitfire. Strong, intelligent, self-assured and a little bit reckless. That’s why women made such great Spitfire pilots.
​
In the roaring 20s flapper girls were all the rage, but in the 30s and 40s young ladies learnt to fly.
​
Once again we went straight to the top enlisting the help of world renowned aviation illustrator Romain Hugault to create our ATA girl character and brand mascot Bunny.
​
As Spitfire chaps we get involved in all manner of Spitfire projects. We sent out a Spitfire monument to Lesotho in Southern Africa.
​
We helped finance a Spitfire Expedition to Norway....
And brought her back!!!
And are now helping to finance the restoration to flight.
We continue to immerse ourselves in all manner of Spitfire related adventures.
​
You'll find us at air shows, and RAF events and of course in Officers Messes.
​
Chin Chin Darlings!
HOW IT STARTED
OUR STORY HAS BEEN AN EPIC JOURNEY
BEDTIME STORIES
Our story is a journey, a journey that starts, surprisingly, with the writing of a song and a children’s bedtime story book.
Are you sitting comfortably?....Good, then I'll begin....
In 2009 Ian Hewitt wrote a song entitled The Ghost of Cameron Crowe the song tells the story of a Grandfather, his grandson and his secret Spitfire hidden out on the moss. Live Audience's really connected with the story inspiring Ian to write the story down and published as a bedtime story book. Illustrated by Kayleigh Radcliffe the book has a heady quality best described as the dark side of Beatrix Potter.
​
The book was published in 2012 at the Spirit of the Spitfire festival where Ian met David Spencer Evans the them Chairman of the Spitfire Society.
CREATING THE TRUST
Inspired by the story of the Lesotho Spitfires Ian and David committed to pay tribute to and offer thanks on behalf of the rank and file of the British people to the people of Lesotho for their support. A rare example of international aid not being a one way street.
​
So the SPITFIRE HERITAGE TRUST was born….it’s mantra being that the Spitfire is much more than a vintage aircraft.
​
It is a Great British icon that symbolises the coming together of all the nations of the Commonwealth, as we stood together in defence of our common human values and freedoms.
​
The Trust would become robustly engaged in the strengthening of links and the development of programs that create opportunities, educate, celebrate and give thanks to our Commonwealth family of nations, and to our shared values that transcend culture, religion and gender.
THE ALCHEMIST
Ian enlisted the talents of multi award winning Master Distiller Dr John Walters and the plan to create an extraordinary gin was hatched.
​
The Gin was to include:
Rosemary for Remembrance, Borage for Courage , Blood Orange for the Fallen , English Rose Petals for the ladies of the ATA.
​
And with that John worked his alchemy to create a 1930’s retro gin of exceptional quality.
​
In the spirit of the Spitfire created to be the best.
THE LESOTHO TRIBUTE
In November 2016 SPITFIRE HERITAGE TRUST presented
His Majesty King Letsie III with a full sized Spitfire Tribute.
Located in Makoanyane Square in the capital city of Maseru. The Spitfire Tribute is to be ultimately housed in the Lesotho National Museum of History.
As part of the 50th Anniversary of Independence Celebrations the Spitfire serves as a permanent reminder of the strong bond of friendship between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Lesotho.
​
In addition to the Spitfire Tribute we shipped 270 mountain bikes for the children of Lesotho.
Donated by Merseyside Police these mountain bikes serve as a means on which to get to school for the children as well as serving as a central focus for youth bike based community activities.
LESOTHO
It was here that David told Ian another story. The story of the African Kingdom of Lesotho.
Lesotho is one of the heroes of the Second World War. In 1940 Britain was on the brink of invasion. At this critical time the Kingdom of Lesotho (formerly known as Basutoland) presented Britain with twenty-four Spitfire fighter aircraft, sufficient to equip two entire RAF squadrons.
​
This was a disproportionately generous contribution from a Commonwealth country the size of Wales with a population of only 400,000 people.
​
No. 72 (Basutoland) Squadron is one of the relatively few Second World War squadrons that are still in existence. Told the then Chairman of the Spitfire Society.
AN INVITE FROM THE SENATE
In January 2016 we received the official letter of invitation from the Lesotho Senate to present King Letsie III in November that year our Tribute Spitfire as part of the Lesotho 50th anniversary of independence celebrations.
A final push was needed, but how to fund it!
Some serious out of the box thinking was required.
We needed a product, something worthy of the Spirit of the Spitfire and most importantly a product that we knew that the Great British public would buy.
​
Ian pointed out Gin as the Great British tipple, it was of the correct calibre and most at home in officer's messes around the world. He also knew that the girls of the ATA were known to have carried a snifter of gin as part of their kit bag.
CREATING THE BRAND
Confident that we had created one of the finest gins in the world, we now needed to create a brand to do it justice.
​
The 1930’s were the triumphant hey-day for gin, and the decade that saw the Birth of a Great British and Commonwealth icon.
​
The SPITFIRE.
The defender of our freedom to live and love and drink GIN with whomsoever we choose.
It took a certain type of person to fly a Spitfire. Strong, intelligent, self-assured and a little bit reckless. That’s why women made such great Spitfire pilots.
​
In the roaring 20s flapper girls were all the rage, but in the 30s and 40s young ladies learnt to fly. Once again we went straight to the top enlisting the help of world renowned aviation illustrator ROMAIN HUGAULT to create our ATA girl character and brand mascot Bunny.
