Meet the New Master Distiller: a Catch-up with Ed Gibson
We have some exciting news for lovers of our award-winning artisan gins. There’s a new Master Distiller at the Massingberd-Mundy Distillery! Ed Gibson has just joined us and he’s hitting the ground running. He took time out of his busy distilling schedule to tell us more.
“I grow up in Wysall in the Nottinghamshire countryside and went to school at Loughborough Grammar,” said Ed. “I was interested in theatre and did a degree in Theatre Arts at Derby University. Ultimately, it wasn’t for me but, like many people do when they’re studying, I found myself some bar work. I worked in pubs for the Derby Brewing Company and, towards the end of my degree, worked in their brand new hotel, the Keddleston Country House. Part of the training focused on premium spirits and they brought in two people who ran Merchant House in London, famous for having an amazing number of gins behind its bar. There was a world of deep knowledge and intricate processes here, and I gained a real love for the products and a respect for the people behind them.
“The 21st-century gin phenomenon came from a law change. The 1751 Gin Act was finally repealed in 2008. The old Hogarth-era restrictions were lifted and this meant that gin production was no longer limited to big operators. The industry became democratised. The initial boom in craft distilling featured gins with a huge and sometimes confusing array of flavours and botanicals. The market has matured since then and today’s craft distillers put in the time, patience and care that good gin demands. Customers don’t fall for gimmicky, over the top spirits. They can taste quality and craftsmanship and they care about it.
“I’ve always had an interest in good wines and gins. It helped that my mum always had an interesting new gin to hand and I got to try exceptional spirits, even on a student budget. My early experience and education in fine spirits really unlocked my potential and I wanted to learn more. I moved around the Derby Brewing Company’s pubs and learned a lot from their high standards of service and product knowledge. Insight was absolutely key; customers are discerning, and you have to know which spirits work together and how to serve and garnish them perfectly, as well as knowing which wines go with which food.
“After seven years in the pub trade, I decided that managing pubs was not my lifetime job. I was interested in product development and felt that the best way to learn more about a thing is to make it. I applied for a job as a gin-school tutor at Leicester’s 45 West, the parent company of Burleigh’s Gin. Right before that, I’d managed a pub where I’d researched and run a menu of 100 gins. The interview went well and, unbeknown to me, their distiller had just left. They decided I was keen and curious enough to be given a chance.
“That was a wonderful opportunity. I met industry icon Jamie Baxter, we got on well and I worked for him for a bit. He sets up other distilleries so I got to run things when he wasn’t around. My time at Burleigh’s acquainted me with the fullness and complexity of a distilling operation; besides creating the spirit, you have to deal with contracts, packaging, dispatch and much more. It was daunting but exciting. I made a the official Richard III-themed gin (don’t worry its not based on a car park), did some project work with Leicester Tigers and developed a gin with the late, great Doddie Weir. After Burleigh’s, I was head-hunted to be a master distiller in Hinckly where I tackled every part of a gin operation.
