Sheffield: Gin Experience – Make Your Own Gin

Gin-making in Sheffield, in a real distillery.

It is hands-on from the start, using mini stills and real botanicals, plus a guided tasting so you understand what you are doing, not just copying a recipe. I especially like the setting at Portland Works, where a small team has been producing since 2014 inside a grade 2 listed building opened in 1879.

• Portland Works distillery visit in the heart of Sheffield, set in a grade 2 listed 1879 building
• Guided tasting session with gin and tonics, including Sunshine in a Glass
• Gin School with 100+ botanicals, so your recipe is genuinely yours
• Mini still distillation so you see how the botanicals turn into the final spirit
• Small group size (max 8) for more time with the guide and less standing around

Inside Portland Works: the Sheffield setting that makes gin feel real

Lockesley Distilling runs this Sheffield gin experience right in Portland Works, in the heart of the city. The venue matters because it is not a generic show-and-tell space. Portland Works is a grade 2* listed building, opened in 1879, and described as the birthplace of stainless steel. That industrial backbone gives the visit a grounded feel, like you are seeing the work, not just an attraction.

Even though the distilling team is small, the experience is built to show you how seriously they treat their production. They produce, create, and inspire since 2014, and they keep production elements in-house. For me, that is part of the value: you are not just learning the fun bits of gin, you are seeing how a focused team approaches quality and consistency.

This is also one of those formats where small-group size pays off. With a maximum of 8 participants, you should expect fewer bottlenecks and more back-and-forth with the guide. You will likely ask questions you would never ask in a larger tour, like why certain botanicals are chosen and how small tweaks can shift the final profile.

The tour portion: what you learn before you start mixing

Before you start building your recipe, you get an intimate guided tour of the distillery. This is where you pick up the practical context that makes the later Gin School feel less random. The tour includes a detailed look at how they create their growing range of liquids, with emphasis on keeping elements of production in-house.

You will also hear the outline of Locksley Distilling’s creation and development, including their ethos and aspirations. That is not “extra talk” for the sake of it. It helps you understand why they are using mini stills and real botanicals, and why they structure the experience the way they do. Gin is a recipe plus process, and the process is where surprises can happen if you only focus on ingredients.

A real example from the experience: one reviewer highlighted Jake as the guide, saying he was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. That combination is the sweet spot. It usually means you get clear answers without the lecture tone.

Guided tasting: how to read flavors like a pro

The experience includes a guided tasting session, built around gin and tonics. You should expect a structured approach: you taste, you talk, and you learn what certain botanicals are doing to the spirit.

One named element in the tasting lineup is Sunshine in a Glass. Even if you do not know it yet, the point is that you are not sampling blind. You get the origin, stories, and botanical choices behind their products. That kind of framing helps you stop thinking of botanicals as a long list and start thinking of them as flavor tools.

Here is the practical takeaway: during tasting, pay attention to how the gin smells and tastes before you chase sweetness or bitterness. Note the balance of juniper, citrus notes, spice, or florals, and how that balance holds up once you add tonic. You will thank yourself later when you are choosing botanicals for your own bottle.

Also, tasting helps you decide what style you are aiming for. You do not have to be an expert. The guide’s job is to steer you toward a mix that will distill well, not just sound good on paper.

Gin School with 100+ botanicals: make a recipe you can defend

This is the main event, and it is designed to feel like a workshop, not a demo. In the Gin School, you will have over 100 botanicals at your disposal to create your unique recipe. Then you will distill it into a full 70cl bottle of gin that you take away.

This is the part I think most people will love, because it turns gin into a creative project. You get choices, but you also get guidance. If you are the type who likes to tinker, this will feel satisfying. If you are not, do not worry. The structure and the guided tasting should give you enough starter points to make good decisions.

What I suggest you do in the Gin School:

• Start by choosing a direction. Are you leaning bright, spicy, herbal, or more rounded and floral?
• Pick a botanical “anchor” first, then add supporting characters. Too many strong botanicals at once can blur the profile.
• Smell and taste in context. If something smells amazing but tastes too sharp on its own, it may still work in small amounts after distillation.

A nice detail from a review: after making the gin, one participant noted that you then wait a few weeks for it to seep before drinking. That is important. The bottle is not meant to be judged minutes after distillation. A short rest lets the flavors settle into place, so plan your expectations.

Mini still distillation: seeing how botanical choices become gin

The experience is built around mini stills and real botanicals, and that is more than a marketing line. It means you get to understand that gin is not just mixing ingredients like a cocktail. Distillation changes how botanicals express themselves. Some notes come forward, others soften, and the overall balance becomes something you can actually taste in the finished spirit.

Even without getting technical, you will leave with a sense of cause and effect. Your recipe choices matter because the process extracts and concentrates specific characteristics. That is why the earlier tour and tasting are not filler. They set you up to make choices that translate.

And you get a real outcome, not a tiny sample. You distill a full 70cl bottle. For value, that matters. Many classes give a small pour at the end. Here you leave with enough gin to serve at home or bring along for a future toast.

Included drinks: why the tonics are part of the learning

You get a selection of gin and tonics, including Sunshine in a Glass. This might sound like a standard perk, but it is actually tied to what you will do in the Gin School.

Gin can taste one way neat and another way with tonic. Tonic brings bitterness and a slight sweetness, and it interacts with the gin’s botanicals. By tasting with tonic during the guided session, you learn what your flavor profile is likely to do in a real-world serve.

If you are a gin-and-tonic person, this is doubly useful. It turns the session from “cool class” into “you learn how to make your drink taste great later.”

Price and value: what you are paying for at $129

At $129 per person for a 2.5 hour experience, you are paying for more than entertainment. You are paying for:

• A guided distillery tour with history and production insight
• A guided tasting session with gin and tonics
• A Gin School workshop with over 100 botanicals
• Mini still distillation
• A full 70cl bottle to take away

That bundle is the core value. If you compare it to buying a bottle plus paying for a tour only, this is usually the kind of activity where the bottle changes the math. You are essentially buying a premium, hands-on product plus the instruction and tasting that helps you create something you actually want to drink.

Is it a budget activity? Not really. But it can be good value if you want the result, not just the knowledge. If you love experimenting with flavors, the cost starts to feel more reasonable because you are taking home a finished bottle made by you.

How long it takes, and how to plan your day

The experience runs about 2.5 hours. That makes it workable in a city schedule, as long as you book a start time that fits your other plans.

Because you are making a bottle, you will want to leave yourself a little buffer after the class. You will take away 70cl of your gin, so you will likely need time to pack it and sort out your day after.

Also, remember that the best tasting is not immediate. If you follow the real-world tip from a reviewer, you will give your bottle a few weeks to settle and improve. So treat this as a “today craft, later sip” kind of plan.

Who should book this Sheffield gin experience

This experience is especially suited to:

• Couples and small groups who want a hands-on activity with a real outcome
• Adults who like gin, but also want to understand botanicals and process
• People who enjoy workshops where the guide helps you make thoughtful choices
• Visitors who want an authentic Sheffield activity centered on a working distillery

It is not suitable for children under 18. Also, the guide is English, so make sure that fits your comfort level.

If you are the type who wants big attractions and long sightseeing days, this may feel short. But if you prefer experiences that leave you with a story and a bottle, this is exactly the right length.

Should you book? My straight call

Book it if you want a true make-your-own gin experience with a guided tasting, a working distillery tour, and a finish product you can take home in a full 70cl bottle. The small group format and the over 100 botanicals give you a real chance to create something personal, and the guide quality seems to matter here, with Jake called out as enthusiastic and knowledgeable.

Skip it if you are looking for a quick cocktail-style demo, or if you need instant gratification. Your gin will taste best after it has time to settle, so you are signing up for a short wait after the fun.

If you want a memorable Sheffield night in a working distillery, Portland Works and Locksley Distilling give you a solid, hands-on plan that feels grown-up and genuinely practical.