Valencia late oranges, distilled fresh in season, make Smeaton's an ideal gin for a classic Negroni. But to capture the fresh essence of this citrus fruit takes more effort than most people expect.

We insist on cutting each fruit by hand, and this simple act is more than respectful testament to authenticity. While modern fruit processing machines are more efficient, they lack a discerning touch - cutting the fruit by hand is a discipline that affords us the time to handle and inspect each fruit, ensuring that only oranges that are ripe and fresh make it into the still.

Faithful to the Bristol Method, we distil Valencia late oranges fresh in season to capture their pure essence at its peak. Our continued dependence on fresh fruit, rather than dried peel, is a challenge for our master distiller, but we remain convinced that the vibrancy and complexity of fresh fruit simply cannot be replicated with dried alternatives.

Moreover, we firmly believe in the value of individual, bespoke distillations tailored to the needs of each botanical, resulting in a truly exceptional gin. A gin fit for the finest classic Negroni.

So, while cutting fresh oranges by hand may take time and cost more, we consider it a small price to pay for the unparalleled quality it brings to our gin.