By: Mary Holden
Let this tale begin as it began—with ancestors and an email. In the middle is the promise of delicious refreshment. The conclusion of this tale is filled with cheers to moderation, responsible entrepreneurship, and a respect for the ways in which history enlightens and entertains.
Adam von Gootkin, CEO and co-founder of Highclere Castle Spirits, is a self-described Anglophile whose soul is steeped in history. If he could time travel, he’d choose to go to ancient Rome…with a hope to have a bit of gold in his pocket. But, in 2016, he went to Highclere Castle—via an email.
Having transitioned out of the music industry (he’d run a recording studio that ran away with his personal energy), von Gootkin capitalized on his known interests (brewing beer, vinifying wine, and distilling spirits) and his then-unknown ancestral tendencies. After several years of successful distilling, he learned the history of a speakeasy owned by his great-grandfather and a well-known distillery located in New England run by his ancestors in the 1800s.
So…what was it that inspired von Gootkin to write an email to Lord Carnarvon to inquire about partnering on a new spirit venture? Only ‘the universe’ knows for sure, but he did. The email arrived during office renovations, and Lady Carnarvon remembers that Lord Carnarvon, “came down, waving this piece of paper saying, ‘What do you see? I think I might get back to him.’ And this was Adam’s email. It’s amazing what happens from these extraordinary coincidental beginnings.”
Weeks later, Adam and his wife Regina were amazed to visit Highclere and surprised to enter into an amicable and genuine friendship that led to an extraordinary partnership.
Rare tobacco is another one of his interests, and that’s why (during the development of the gin) von Gootkin got in touch with his friend, cigar maker Nicholas Melillo of Foundation Cigar Company. The two came up with (after 25 iterations) a cigar created with Nicaraguan tobacco specifically for Highclere Castle’s brand. Cue an image of Winston Churchill showing up in your imagination with a signature cigar between two fingers of his right hand, even though von Gootkin believes, “there’s nothing more beautiful than a female smoking a cigar!”
Developing the gin was based on the genius that occurred when von Gootkin and the Carnarvon’s put their minds together to create—and perfect—a gin to represent the hospitality and entertainment that’s been practiced for generations at Highclere Castle. Like the cigar, after 25 iterations, the gin was born.
What’s different about Highclere Castle Gin? While it includes notes common to most gin products: juniper, citrus, and certain spices, Highclere Castle Gin is finished with the addition of oats, post-distillation. These oats have been farmed on the estate grounds for generations to support the thoroughbred horses raised there. The gin debuted in 2019 and has won over 31 international awards due to its elegant taste.
Elevating the moment,” says von Gootkin, and keeping the standards of elegance and beauty,” is the purpose of a refreshing cocktail. “We’ve liquified that with this gin.” When he’s celebrating happiness and enjoying elegance, von Gootkin enjoys Highclere Castle Gin on the rocks with a twist of orange peel and a sprig of rosemary. He also enjoys the way champagne parties in a glass with the gin in a cocktail known as the British 75.
In addition to garnering success as a ‘spiritual entrepreneur, von Gootkin is the author of Living Proof: Onyx Moonshine’s Journey to Revive the American Spirit. With a foreword written by coach Mike Ditka, and chapters titled, “Rock Bottom to Bottoms Up: Why Falling Behind is Key to Moving Forward,” and “Socially Conscious Commerce: How Your Business Can Make the World a Better Place,” his words distill both his and the wisdom of, his ancestors.
The history of Highclere Castle provided the story of “Downton Abbey,” as well as the space for the invention of a luxurious liquor to pair with good foods, great people, and harmonious surroundings (even if we must match our surroundings with others via screens). History entertains us by reminding us to balance darkness with light, evil with good, falsity with truth, and grief with joy.
In that balance is the wisdom of moderation.
