Plymouth Gin Distillery
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{{Infobox building
| name = Plymouth Gin Distillery
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| image = Plymouth Gin Distillery.jpg
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| image_caption = The Plymouth Gin Distillery
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| building_type = Gin Distillery
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| address = Black Friars Distillery
60 Southside Street
Plymouth
PL1 2LQ
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| location_country = England
| coordinates = {{Coord|50.367619|N|4.137461|W|display=inline,title}}
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| completion_date = 1793
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| designations = Grade II* listed
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The Plymouth Gin Distillery is a gin manufacturer on The Barbican, Plymouth, England.{{cite book|last1=Williams|first1=Olivia|title=Gin Glorious Gin|date=2014|publisher=Headline Publishing Group|location=London|isbn=978-1-4722-1534-5|page=313}} Also known as the Black Friars Distillery, it is the only gin distillery in the city.{{cite web|title=Gin Foundry review of Plymouth Gin & Plymouth Navy Gin|url=http://www.ginfoundry.com/gin/plymouth-gin/|website=Gin Foundry|accessdate=17 April 2017}} The original building opens on to what is now Southside Street. Established in 1793, it is the oldest operating distillery in Britain.
History
Local tradition has it that it is located in what was once a Dominican Order monastery, built in 1431, although there is no evidence to support this.{{NHLE |num=1386410 |desc=The Distillery Public House, Former Coates Gin Distillery ||accessdate=5 November 2016 }} There is no evidence that it was ever used as a friary (local tradition). It is also said that some of the Pilgrim Fathers may have stayed here while the Mayflower was in the harbour for repairs before finally setting sail to North America. This is where the ship on the company label is thought to have originated from.
It was a large merchant's house dating from around 1500. By 1605 the building was used as a gaol, and a Congregational meeting house from 1689 to 1705.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}} It was remodelled and extended as a gin distillery from 1793 when Coates joined with the established business of Fox & Williamson.{{cite book|last1=Majhen|first1=Thomas|title=Die Barfibel|date=24 March 2013|publisher=epubli|isbn=9783844252330|page=522|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4eU6Jf6XBy8C|language=de}} The business was known as Coates & Co. until March 2004.{{cite web|title=5 Gorgeous Gin Distilleries - Great British Food Magazine|url=http://www.greatbritishfoodmagazine.com/blog/six-british-gin-distilleries|website=Great British Food Magazine|accessdate=17 April 2017|date=2 June 2016}}
Present day
It is now a bar with bistro above,{{cite web|title=Plymouth Gin|url=https://plymouthdistillery.com/refectory-bar|website=plymouthdistillery.com|accessdate=17 April 2017|language=en}} and the distillery provides several tours.{{cite web|title=Plymouth Gin|url=https://plymouthdistillery.com/tours|website=plymouthdistillery.com|accessdate=17 April 2017|language=en}} Since 2005 the brand and premises have been owned by the Scandinavian V&S Group, better known for making Absolut Vodka, who in turn were later acquired by Pernod-Ricard.{{cite book|last1=Kiste|first1=John Van der|title=The Little Book of Devon|date=November 2011|publisher=History Press|isbn=9780750953948|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cQI7AwAAQBAJ&dq=plymouth+gin+distillery+bought+by+v+%26+s+group&pg=PT106|language=en}}
Plymouth Gin is still made here, and in recent years{{when|date=May 2019}} there has been an increase in the popularity of the distinctive sweeter and lighter but stronger Plymouth flavour, compared to the more usual London Dry Gin.{{cn|date=May 2019}} The company has produced a large range of promotional items, including Dartmouth Potteries Gurgle Jugs, miniatures, glasses, ashtrays, match strikers, etc. Many of these have become very collectable.
On the afternoon of 27 February 2008, the building was substantially damaged by a kitchen fire starting in the nearby (and that time recently opened) Barbican Kitchen, which has subsequently re-opened.{{cite news |author= |title=Distillery fire damage restricted |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7268301.stm |newspaper=BBC News |date=28 February 2008 |access-date=5 November 2016 }}
References
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External links
- [http://www.plymouthgin.com/ Plymouth Gin]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080304211606/http://www.plymouthgincollectables.co.uk/ Plymouth Gin Collectables]
{{Alcoholic drinks}}{{Pernod Ricard}}
Category:1793 establishments in England
Category:Companies based in Plymouth, Devon
Category:British companies established in 1793
Category:Distilleries in England
Category:Food and drink companies established in 1793
Category:Industrial archaeological sites in Devon
Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Devon