E18hteen Gin

Most gin starts with a neutral grain spirit. Leigh and Claire's North Petherton operation starts with sugar beet vodka, which puts them in a small minority and gives their spirit a sweeter, rounder base. Leigh came to it sideways: a qualified engineer who designed equipment for breweries, distilleries, juice and chemical plants before the family moved into the pub trade in 2014 and decided the bar needed a gin of its own.

The flagship is an apple-led London Dry, made with fruit hand picked from Somerset orchards in autumn, macerated to time and redistilled in copper pot alembic stills. It comes off at 78% and is bottled at 42%, with juniper, citrus zest and apple blossom leading into anise and a creamed macadamia finish. Flavoured gins, vodkas and rums follow, alongside personalised bottles for weddings. Serve it with a slice of apple, pear or pink grapefruit.