Tons of places in London started distilling gin in recent years and The Distillery on Portobello Road is one example. What sets The Distillery apart is the variety of tasting/experiences they offer. We signed up for The Ginstitute experience which includes a history of gin, tasting experience, and the opportunity to make your own unique gin. We began the experience with Carmen in the downstairs bar area that has a speakeasy vibe. The total group size is about 15 participants but it doesn’t feel like too much. Carmen gave a quick and interesting history of gin along with a Tom Collins to truly start the experience. Unsurprisingly, at least a portion of the development of alcohol (and gin) was originally for a medicinal use of one sort or another. Carmen also highlighted some of the history of bartending and the development of various bartenders’ guides, the first of which was developed by Jerry Thomas in the 19th century. As Carmen talked us through gin’s history, we were served additional drinks including a gin and tonic (tonic water was also developed for medicinal use) and a Manhattan (originally made with gin). 

The group of 15 then split into two smaller groups for the next part of the experience; one group went with Carmen and the rest of us worked with Phil. We smelled and tasted a total of 23 different distillates that could be used to create our own unique gin flavor profile. These included distillates of wormwood, pink peppercorn, nutmeg, lemon, lime, cardamom seed, basil, and asparagus, among others. Once we selected our flavor profile bases, Phil helped create a drinkable blend (formulation).

We then named our new creation before taking home a bottle of our personal gin blend and a bottle of the Portobello Road gin! This is especially important information if you are traveling elsewhere because R and I suddenly had four full size (750 mL) bottles of gin to contend with. The Ginstitue is a fun experience and you can meet some fellow travelers and locals in the process. 

Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park are lovely for an outdoor stroll and a lot of people take their dogs for a run. It is pretty in autumn though I imagine it would be especially lovely in the summer when all the plants are in bloom. We walked along one outer edge of the greenspace and just along that portion of the park there are several statues and fountains to see. We were hungry and dinner was a high priority for all four of us. We made a reservation in advance for Steak and Company in Covent Garden though we probably could have walked in without reservations. Steak and Company offers a steak stone which is a play with your food situation. The staff bring out a platter which includes a flavored butter, salt/seasoning mix, sauce, your steak (pan seared on the exterior), and a scorching hot stone. You then cook your steak to your preferred degree of doneness (medium rare, please), give it a little seasoning, dip in your sauce, and enjoy! R ordered the steak stone and shared a bite with me while I opted for the pumpkin ravioli with sage butter which is an autumn special for the restaurant. Sides are in addition to the steak stone and we added broccoli and mashed potatoes as well as the Iberico ham and mozzarella croquettes to start. Everything was delicious and we were all soon ready to call it a night as we continue adjusting to the local time zone.