Gin tourism comes to Manchester

By Mathew Lyons

Published: 05 January, 2016

Manchester gin lovers will soon be able to enjoy a tour of some the city's best bars fuelled by their favourite tipple, thanks to a new drinking experience launching in the spring.

The Gin Journey is the brainchild of bartender and entrepreneur Leon Dalloway, whose Shake, Rattle & Stir tour company already offers a similar scheme in London.

Each Gin Journey promises ginthusiasts samples of a range of different gins, cocktails in each of the five cocktail bars on the tour, and an education in the history and evolution of the spirit.

A chauffeur-driven car is on hand to ferry participants from bar to bar, and Dalloway promises prizes along the way too.

Manchester bars participating in the initial tours include Gorilla, Cottonopolis and Cane and Grain's First Floor Bar.

"I want to educate people about the world of gin, liquor and cocktails but I also want to show them a good time," Dalloway told the Manchester Evening News.

"I wanted to bring the experience to some new cities with a great history of gin, and Manchester was at the top of the list," said Leon.

"It's quite closely linked with the Bridgewater Canal, where the botanicals would arrive to flavour the gin, and you've also got one of the oldest gin distilleries, Greenall's, not far away in Warrington."

Two versions of the tour are planned: one an evening event, the other at the weekend. Both last around four-and-a-half hours.

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