Welcome to

Shakespeare Distillery

Established in 2015 we are an artisan spirit producer based in Stratford upon Avon creating carbon neutral spirits with a twist of history.

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award-winning

Gins

a bottle of stratford dry gin next to a glass

British-made

Rums

Sustainability

Carbon Neutral

Aerial view of Shakespeare Distillery many cars next to wheat fields and thin road

New experience!

Rum School

Brand new!

Tropical Rum

Award-winning

experiences

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- Shakespeare Distillery -

About Shakespeare Distillery

Spirits with a Twist of History

Situated in Stratford upon Avon, the home of William Shakespeare, we are an artisan carbon neutral spirit producer, established in 2015. Inspired by the Tudor period, we take time, attention and passion to produce carefully handcrafted spirits in small batches.

At Shakespeare Distillery, we fuse traditional and, in some cases, forgotten ingredients with modern techniques to create exciting new spirits, inspired by the Tudor period. We produce a range of premium, handcrafted gins and rums made entirely onsite, including the award-winning Stratford Dry Gin and Jester Rum.

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About us

Judith's No.1 High St - Tasting Room

Judith's No.1 High St - Rum School

Judith's No.1 High St - Shop

Shakespeare Distillery - Gin School

Shakespeare Distillery - Cafe and Lounge

Shakespeare Distillery - Distillery

Our Locations

Based at the distillery just outside town, we opened our doors as a visitor centre in 2019; here you can enjoy distillery tours and gin schools, as well as visit our distillery shop and our coffee and cocktail lounge. Our visitor centre has won a number of Gold and Silver awards from the 2020 and 2022 West Midlands Tourism Awards and a Travellers’ Choice Award by Tripadvisor for the last two years running.

We have a shop in the heart of Stratford upon Avon and, above it, you will find ‘Judith’s School of Spirits’ where we offer rum schools, cocktail masterclasses and gin tasting experiences.

In the summer, we also take to the River Avon and run our popular gin tasting cruises in partnership with Avon Boating.

Small Batch Gin

Award-Winning Gin

Inspired by Tudor knot garden botanicals, our gin is produced in small handcrafted batches with traditional ingredients used in Shakespeare's day.

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Award-winning rum

British Made Rum

Fermented and double distilled, Jester Rum is made from scratch right here at our distillery, making it 100% British rum.

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Limited edition

Distillery Specials

We love to create quality spirits and to experiment with ingredients. This results in limited edition distillery specials, including limoncello, citrus vodka, Judith's gin and a series of barrel-aged spirits.

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Gin, Rum, Distillery Specials

Our Hand-Crafted Sprits

Using slow distillation and a select cut, we create beautifully complex spirits smooth enough to be sipped neat or delightfully enjoyable with mixers and unique enough to stand out from the crowd.

Inspired by Tudor knot garden botanicals, our gin is produced in small handcrafted batches with traditional ingredients used in Shakespeare's day.

Small Batch

Artisan Gin

Inspired by Tudor knot garden botanicals, our gin is produced in small handcrafted batches with traditional ingredients used in Shakespeare's day.

shop our gins

Our Gin School

gin collection 2 assortment of gins Stratford Dry etc

Stratford Dry Gin

Our signature, award winning (IWSC Silver Outstanding) London dry is a juniper-heavy, distinctively smooth and herbal-style gin, reminiscent of a summer garden.

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Our Gin

Hover over one of our gins to learn more...

Jester Rum

British Made Rum

Fermented and double distilled, Jester Rum is made from scratch right here at our distillery, making it 100% British rum. The name is inspired by the famous sculpture of a Jester which sits just yards from Shakespeare’s Birthplace.

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Our Rum School

Jester
Rum

Jester White Rum

Tropical fruit combined with a hint of citrus and a rich long-lasting mildly sweet and perfectly smooth buttery molasses finish.

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Jester Spiced Rum

Sweet mace and cinnamon, aromatic nutmeg and warming clove make for a light-bodied dry rum boasting fruity notes.

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Jester Tropical Rum

A special edition Jester Spiced Tropical Rum with a beautifully balanced warming and mildly sweet finish.

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CURATED COCKTAILS

Our Cocktails & The Perfect Serve

At Shakespeare Distillery, we believe that a great cocktail is more than just a drink, it's an experience. That's why we've carefully curated our cocktails to highlight the unique character of each spirit.

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Piña Colada

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Mulberry Old Fashioned

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Piña Colada

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Our Experiences

Award - Winning Experiences

Our visitor centre has won a number of Gold and Silver awards from the 2020 and 2022 West Midlands Tourism Awards and a Traveller's Choice Award by Tripadvisor for the last two years running.

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Shakespeare Distillery

Distillery Tours

£12.50 - £19.50

1hr 15mins

Join us for a fun and informative tour around our working distillery in Stratford upon Avon, followed by a tutored tasting of our award-winning spirits.

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Shakespeare Distillery

Gin School

£99 - £125

3hrs

If you fancy creating your very own gin, come to the distillery and join our Gin School for a lesson in distilling. Students get to take their work – sorry, gin - home with them.

Take a 60 minute cruise on the beautiful River Avon through Stratford upon Avon. Enjoy the riverside sights while taking part in a tutored tasting of our spirits.

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Judith's, No.1 High St

Cocktail Masterclass

£40

1.5hrs

We all love a gin cocktail and now you can learn how to make them yourself at a fun cocktail masterclass at Judith’s in Stratford, guided by our very own master mixologist.

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Judith's, No.1 High St

Rum School at Judith's

£99 - £125

3hrs

Our rum school is an absolute must-do experience for rum fans! Immerse yourself in the fantastic world of rum and learn how to distil your own spiced rum.

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Judith's, No.1 High St

Gin Tasting at Judith's

£9.50 - £14.50

1hr

Join us for a fun and informative spirit tasting starting with a Stratford gin & tonic as you relax and discover the fascinating history of gin and more. Followed by a tutored tasting of at least three Shakespeare Distillery spirits.

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Great fun Gin School A great all round experience in a small group, 3-hour, gin distilling school. It was great fun and we came away with our personalised flavoured gin. A good balance of... read moreA great all round experience in a small group, 3-hour, gin distilling school. It was great fun and we came away with our personalised flavoured gin. A good balance of learning, sampling, and brewing/distilling. read less 
 21/11/2023

Highly recommend This was such a good experience and really interesting, finished off with a fab tasting session. Catered for the drivers too. Definitely recommend. Would make a nice gift. 
 20/11/2023

Brilliant distillery tour We had a lovely afternoon (bought as a Virgin Experience Days gift). Very knowledgeable and entertaining presenters. Small distillery, rural setting, delicious gins! Glad I bought the cancellation insurance (£3),... read moreWe had a lovely afternoon (bought as a Virgin Experience Days gift). Very knowledgeable and entertaining presenters. Small distillery, rural setting, delicious gins! Glad I bought the cancellation insurance (£3), as I had to cancel my original booking due to illness. Thanks for a wonderful visit! read less 
 19/11/2023

Great tasting Gin's Excellent tour, great team and amazing Gin's and Rum.Well worth a visit and would absolutely recommend. 
 17/11/2023

5*- hidden gem! Well worth a tour! Amazing place, great speakers and it was so engaging. I love the gin and rum, i was happily tipsy. Great branding too. 
 12/11/2023

Definitely worth a visit Fun and informative distillery tour. Katherine and Sam were very welcoming and knowledgeable and the 10% in store discount was very welcome 
 12/11/2023

Great time at the gin school! We had a really great time at the Gin school - Same, Claire and Catherine were all really friendly and informative. We learnt a lot and definitely enjoyed making our... read moreWe had a really great time at the Gin school - Same, Claire and Catherine were all really friendly and informative. We learnt a lot and definitely enjoyed making our own gins. We would definitely recommend the gin school experience to others. read less 
 12/11/2023

Great afternoon of gin making Went to the Shakespeare Distillery tour and gin making experience on the 10th November with my mother. We had a great afternoon learning about the history of gin and then... read moreWent to the Shakespeare Distillery tour and gin making experience on the 10th November with my mother. We had a great afternoon learning about the history of gin and then producing our own gin in our copper still and taking home 70cl to enjoy. Had lots of fun and enjoyed three complimentary G&Ts as well as tasting some of their other spirits/flavours. We really enjoyed the experience and have recommended it to friends. All of the staff were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Just remember to book a taxi to get you home!! read less 
 11/11/2023

Highly recommend A fabulous experience led by Katherine. Informative and fun. Lovely gins and entertaining. Would really recommend 
 11/11/2023

Recommend for gin lovers The gin experience is a great way to spend 3 hours if you’re a gin lover. Really interesting to visit the distillery and learn about craft gin and then to... read moreThe gin experience is a great way to spend 3 hours if you’re a gin lover. Really interesting to visit the distillery and learn about craft gin and then to make your own recipe. Just make sure you’re not driving as lots of gin to taste too. read less 
 11/11/2023

Great got go So amazing sorry I can’t remember her name but she had green hair and it was her first solo trip . She was brilliant I would come back again just... read moreSo amazing sorry I can’t remember her name but she had green hair and it was her first solo trip . She was brilliant I would come back again just to see her. Jack needs a pay rise. The hole adventure was best ever . Totally recommend it 100% read less 
 11/11/2023

Amazing experience well worth a visit. What an amazing place. Sam (our guide) was such an inspiration to listen to. Passionate and extremely knowledgable We learnt so much and never knew so much went into... read moreWhat an amazing place. Sam (our guide) was such an inspiration to listen to. Passionate and extremely knowledgable We learnt so much and never knew so much went into making Gin and Rum. Very interesting tour and excellent tasters after. Really enjoyed it. Will definitely recommend to others Well Done !! read less 
 07/11/2023

Tipsy gin tasting Brilliant fun activity for adults. Lovely gin and rum. Good value. Great especially on a rainy day. You also get 10% off in the shop. 
 05/11/2023

Great tour Great gin, what’s not to like! Great little distillery tour, very informative and entertaining friendly staff.Nice way to spend a couple of hours on a wet and miserable November day.With the bonus of some outstanding Gin... read moreGreat little distillery tour, very informative and entertaining friendly staff.Nice way to spend a couple of hours on a wet and miserable November day.With the bonus of some outstanding Gin samples to try.Best to get a taxi to enjoy the full experience. read less 
 04/11/2023

Gin tasting experience From the moment we arrived we were warmly welcomed. This is a small family business and the enthusiasm they have for it is apparent at every point during the tour.... read moreFrom the moment we arrived we were warmly welcomed. This is a small family business and the enthusiasm they have for it is apparent at every point during the tour. You start off with a very interesting history of gin. Then onto an explanation of how it is made. Next bottling and labelling. Finally the best part tasting and a drink of your choice. If you are driving they give the driver a small bottle of your choice to take home. A lovely touch! Really enjoyed the tour and have recommended it to family and friends. read less 
 02/11/2023

news & events

Our Latest News

visit news

Simon, Peter and Sam at the 2023 Stratford Herald Business & Tourism Awards

newsWinners at the Stratford Herald Business & Tourism Awards!

We were absolutely delighted to scoop two awards at the 2023 Stratford Herald Business & Tourism Awards held on 20 October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. We are very proud to retain awards in the Best Green Business category and Top Attraction category for the

newsNEW: Raspberry & Hibiscus Vodka!

Yes, we’ve been at it again – here’s a brand new Distillery Special for you to try! The distillery team here are never happier than when testing new flavour combinations and making delicious new spirits to surprise and delight. This is the second Vodka we’ve

A couple raising a glass at Rum School together at work bench

newsRanked in the top 10 best Gin Distillery Experiences in the UK!

We’re delighted to announce that Shakespeare Distillery has been ranked in the top ten of the best Gin Distillery experiences in the UK, according to new research! South Western Railway has carried out the research to uncover the UK’s top 10 favourite gin distilleries with

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Our Blog

Sam, our Brand Ambassador at Shakespeare Distillery, has a love of spirits which extends well beyond his work life. This, combined with his experience in distilleries and his training in the mixology world, lends itself perfectly to writing a series of blogs about spirits and their production.

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