MOVERS & SHAKERS
extractable via vacuum distillation and had been previously uncapturable in gin form. Then came the classic Cambridge Dry Gin, created from botanicals found in the couple’s garden and the fields and hedgerows where they walked Darcy. There’s also a gin made from ants, one of the world’s most expensive gins, a truffle gin designed as a digestif, and a never-ending line of monthly experimental spirits in the form of a limited-edition Prototype series. Looking at the distillery’s list of creations, it’s easy to understand why it’s been named three consecutive times as the
most innovative spirit-makers in the world. The days of churning rotary
on product development and works closely with his sales team, developing relationships and introducing clients to the ever-growing range of exceptional spirits – all still distilled, bottled and sealed by hand back in Cambridge. So, what’s next? “We’ve got big plans,” says Will. “Collaborations with names such as the Botanic Garden and Cambridge Satchel Company are helping us reach new audiences, while communicating how we achieve previously impossible quality standards: fresh botanicals, individually distilled and expertly blended. We’re proud of our beginnings in the living room but while we’re a local company, we have global aspirations. Cambridge has always been an international benchmark for academic quality: it’s about to be known for world-leading gin, too.” As you might expect, building a business together as husband and wife can mean it’s tricky to keep work and home life separate. “We have regular meals out together and try to keep Sundays as a family day,” says Lucy, “with big roast dinners and dog walks – they’re as sacred as they can be.” No matter where the next few years might take this Cambridge-grown success story, there’s one thing that’s certain: they’re still happiest where the business began, out in the fields with Darcy, watching the seasons change.
evaporators burbling happily in the Lowes’ living room are long gone: nowadays the couple head up a team of 30 across three sites – the Cambridge Gin Lab in the city centre, which teaches keen gin enthusiasts about the spirits they create, how to taste gin like a pro and even blend their own bottle; and the Grantchester-based showroom and distillery itself. Lucy now heads up the branding and marketing side of the business, while Will leads
BELOW The distillery's
Japanese gin has delicate Japanese flavours previously uncapturable in gin form
We've got big plans. We're proud of our
beginnings in the living room, but while we're a local company, we have global aspirations"
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ISSUE 01
cambridgecatalyst.co.uk
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