As a Distiller at Piccadilly’s Fortnum & Mason, Adam Smart has a multifaceted role that involves everything from distilling, bottling, and labelling gins to engaging directly with customers to provide tastings, answer their burning questions and share insights into Fortnum & Mason’s gin-making process. Throughout the year, he has combined craftsmanship with customer education to showcase the art of distilling. Talking to the London Spirits Competition, Smart shared his insights on the skills required, the challenges facing the spirits industry, and what lies ahead for the craft of distilling.

Tell us a little about your background and journey into distilling

I have always been inclined toward crafting and creating things so I studied design and technology and took a job designing buildings and spaces for a couple of years. But when things got less interesting, I decided to step back and reevaluate my career choice. Wanting to find something that I could enjoy doing in the future, I travelled around Europe by train with my family and attended drinks festivals and events. The trip sparked my obsession with distilling, and I wanted to learn and create spirits. I immediately reached out to as many distilleries as possible in the hopes that I could learn distilling from one of them. Luckily, one took me on board and taught me how to do just that. This began my practical learning and early education in spirit crafting flavour exploration and I haven’t looked back since. 

Image Title: Distiller Adam Smart

Your current role and what does your day look like?

I am a distiller at Piccadilly’s Fortnum & Mason. On a typical day, I am distilling a fresh batch of either dry or pink gin, bottling and labelling a previous batch, offering customers tastings of our products and doing new product development on any limited edition products on their way to the store.

Also read: Gin Trends for Bartenders in 2024-25: Insights from the 2024 London Spirits Competition

What inspired you to become a distiller?

My journey began with a fascination for taste—buying new bottles from supermarkets, local distilleries, festivals, and farm shops to explore different flavour combinations. But that initial curiosity quickly evolved into a deeper desire to learn. I wanted to understand how to craft, create, and pair products and experiences seamlessly. I met with new and inspiring distillers and industry professionals and discovered that there is a community that is open and eager to collaborate. They are always ready to share advice and give quick solutions to each other's pressing questions. It's an exciting space to be a part of.

What are some of the most important skills for a distiller?

It is important to have an open mind and be willing to embrace others' opinions, as learning from those around can lead to unique discoveries. You should also be someone who thinks outside the box because sometimes it’s about adding that unexpected, even bizarre, ingredient to create something truly magical.

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Define a good distiller

Someone who is eager to teach, share, and help others grow. They should put the quality of the product in front of everything else; even profits and sales come only second. This may certainly not seem like the most profitable business model but I find it more rewarding when I know there's genuine passion behind what someone creates.

What is the hardest part of a distiller's job?

Starting out in any career can be challenging, especially when the tasks are repetitive. Imagine waking up early on yet another dark December morning, stepping into a freezing barn on a picturesque farm, and beginning the daily checklist—all while you can’t feel your fingers or toes!

Image Title: Adam Smart at Fortnum & Mason distillery

What do you think are the current challenges the spirits industry is facing?

When showcasing our products, they often tell me that there are so many gins out there now so it’s hard to know what to choose. While letting the spirit speak for itself is always effective, it can be a real challenge to make people choose your product among the overwhelming variety available today.

Also read: Top 10 Festive Gins to Try This Christmas Season

What skill or topic are you learning currently and why?

Though I am focused on distilling spirits at the moment, I would like to expand my expertise more and get involved in winemaking and crafting whiskies. I am learning more about them while giving some extra focus on improving my knowledge about fermentation.

Your favourite distilling or spirits books?

I enjoyed reading Moonshine by Matthew Rowley. If you are looking for a book that introduces you to the craft, I would recommend it. It is light-hearted and informative. Another book that I like reading and refer to regularly is The Flavour Thesaurus and Lateral Cooking by Niki Segnit. It is not distilling books per se but I use it for inspiration when I am pairing and combining flavours for new products. 

What trends do you anticipate in the beverage industry in the coming months? Or where do you see the domestic craft distilling scene going? What's next for the industry?

Sustainability must be at the forefront of the industry's future, staying on the cutting edge as we move forward. I'm encouraged to see many large companies addressing the challenges we face as a planet, and it's promising to witness more voices in the industry speaking up. I'd love to see domestic craft distilleries explore new paths in no- and low-alcohol options. While it's a challenge to replicate traditional flavours, I believe there's something exciting on the horizon.

Header image by Adam Smart

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