Based in the coastal village of Banks in Lancashire, Forgan distillery came to fruition somewhat ironically. After a gin-fuelled wager with his brother-in-law one evening, distillery owner Philip Robbins decided to take the leap and leave behind a reliable thirty-year career in engineering and IT to pursue his love for great spirits. What began as a way to create fantastic gin soon turned into more, with whiskey and rum also now being on offer as you can see today.
No great story starts off the same, and Forgan Distillery is no exception. After years holding a strong aversion to gin, it was as a result of an otherwise empty alcohol cupboard that the now proud distillery owner Philip explored the world of gin. The exploration did not stop there, and soon became a hobby, which involved distilling any alcohol he could get his hands on! With a passion for the science behind distilling and being tired of spending money on low-quality gins that offered no originality, Philip decided it was time to pour his passions into creating and running his own spirits business, and so was born Forgan Distillery.
Forgan is a family name, dating back all the way to 1625 to William Forgan, born in Fifeshire, Scotland, William Forgan was the founder of the hamlet of Forgan, near St Andrews, and Philip is proud to be a direct descendant. It has been family tradition that every generation has one boy with the middle name Forgan, which Philip holds proudly.
Philip spent a year applying for a full distiller’s license instead of the easier to obtain rectification license, which allows him to create alcohol from scratch instead of buying it in, allowing him absolute control over the quality and integrity of his products and really emphasising the importance of handcrafted, high quality produce. Forgan Distillery prides itself on honesty and transparency, and the process of learning, experimenting and often ruling ingredients out is one, which has been proudly documented on our blog, for all to see.