Olympic rowing hero Pinsent helps launch Harrogate gin shop

Four-time Olympic Gold medal winner Sir Matthew Pinsent helped to celebrate the official launch of the Spirit of Harrogate's Gin Experience before jetting off to Rio for the Olympic Games.
Sir Matthew PinsentSir Matthew Pinsent
Sir Matthew Pinsent

The Spirit of Harrogate opened last November, and the formal launch of the Gin Experience comes after an extremely successful period for the Harrogate based business. Since the doors opened at its prime Harrogate town centre location, over 2,500 customers have visited the two floor retail and gin experience.

Sir Matthew Pinsent was not the only medal-winner in attendance as the site is also the home of Slingsby Artisan Gin, which has been recognised by a number of well-respected industry bodies in recent months.

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The Harrogate inspired gin won a silver medal in the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition in April.

Co-founder and managing director, Marcus Black, said: “We’re thrilled to have such an honoured guest to formally open our Gin Experience and equally delighted with our recent flurry of award wins. We’d like to thank all of our partners and staff who have supported us on our journey over the past 12 months, without whom we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Sir Matthew said: “I’ve been a fan of Slingsby a while, I’m a big fan of gins and British gins.”

The Yorkshire-schooled medallist continued: “Slingsby are invigorating some of the history of the area and targeting a new audience, which I think is fascinating. Slingsby are already winning medals within a year, which is a fantastic performance.”

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Slingsby’s utilise botanicals and the Harrogate aquifer water used in its small-batch production. Of the 24 botanicals used in their gins, half are grown in the kitchen garden of the nearby Rudding Park Hotel.