Make Your Own Gin at York Distillery: Gin School Class

Blend botanicals, distil your own gin, walk out with a bottle you made

Craft your own gin at York Distillery's Gin School, a hands-on class where you select botanicals, distil a personalised 700ml bottle, and learn the history and craft of gin-making from a WSET-qualified tutor over three hours. Two gin and tonics are included, plus a guided tasting of the distillery's core gins to help you understand your palate before you start blending.

The experience

You arrive with a gin and tonic in hand. The tutor walks you through York Distillery's production still and explains how distillation works, then guides you through a tasting of their core gins so you can identify which flavours and styles appeal to you. This tasting does more than introduce the range: it trains your palate so you know what you're reaching for when you move to the blending station.

Then you're at the copper still with your own botanicals in front of you. You weigh each one, choose your combination, and distil your unique bottle while the tutor talks through the history of gin: the legends, the dark chapters, the reasons this spirit has been made and banned and celebrated across centuries. You leave with a 700ml bottle of gin you made yourself, plus 10% off any York Gin purchases if you want to take home a second bottle.

What’s included

• Two gin and tonics (or lemonades) per person.
• guided tasting of York Distillery's core gins.
• all equipment and botanicals needed to distil your own gin.
• a 700ml bottle of your finished gin to take home.
• 10% discount on any York Gin purchases.

Options for this experience

2 options

Gin School for one person, with one bottleUp to 1 people · Guide in English · 10:00, 12:00 and 16:00Gin making for one: craft your own gin with one still, creating a 700ml bottle following your own recipe.

Gin School for two, sharing one bottleUp to 2 people · Guide in English · 10:00, 12:00 and 16:00Gin making for two: a craft-your-own-gin experience for two people sharing one still, with each pair producing one bottle of gin to split between them.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday to SundayDepartures at 10:00, 12:00 and 16:00

Book up to1d before

GroupUp to 2

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Pets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by York Distillery. - a home of York Gin

Is this one for you?Book the two-person option if you're making gin with a friend and want to share one bottle. Choose the one-person class if you want your own finished bottle to take home and the full attention of the tutor during your distilling session.

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Top questions

How long does the gin-making class take?

The class runs for three hours from start to finish, including the welcome G&T, the production tour, the guided tasting, and your hands-on distilling session.

What botanicals can I choose from when I make my gin?

York Distillery provides a range of botanicals for you to select from. The tutor guides you through the options and helps you build a combination that matches the flavours you discovered in the tasting.

Do I get to keep the gin I make?

Yes, you take home a bespoke 700ml bottle of the gin you distilled, in a beautiful copper still, along with the knowledge to appreciate gins like never before.

Are there any drinks included in the class?

Two gin and tonics (or lemonades) are included per person (one on arrival and another during the experience) plus you'll taste samples of York Distillery's core gins during the guided tasting.

Can I book this class if I'm visiting York for just an afternoon?

Yes, the three-hour class fits into an afternoon or morning slot. Check available start times when you book to find one that suits the rest of your day in York.