Distilling Spring: Apple Blossom at Thames Distillery

The Blossom’s in the Bag (or, rather, the Still)

Spring’s shortest, prettiest performance — now bottled.

Blink and you’ll miss it. Apple blossom season — that fleeting flush of pink and white — has arrived and vanished almost as quickly as a bottle of Nº7 on a warm evening. But not before Dave was dispatched, trug in hand, to gather armfuls of the prized petals from the gnarled branches of the old apple trees at Gattertop.

Each year, the arrival of apple blossom marks a quiet turning point in the orchard. It’s a short season — just a few days of pale, fragrant flowers that signal winter’s retreat and spring’s arrival. For us at Gattertop, it’s not just beautiful; it’s instructive. The moment the blossom is at its most aromatic, it’s time to act.

With the trees in full bloom and the weather on side, our orchard lead Dave got to work — handpicking the freshest blossom from across the estate. The flowers, gathered at their peak, were immediately frozen to preserve their naturally sweet, floral aroma. From tree to freezer in a matter of hours, the focus is on capturing the blossom exactly as it is.

From there, the frozen blossom travelled to Thames Distillery — home of our Nº7 botanical vodka. In a still affectionately known as Tom Thumb, the blossom joined dried botanicals from the farm under the guidance of master distiller Ockju. A meticulous low-temperature distillation followed — slow, deliberate, and designed to protect the delicate character of the blossom from being lost to heat.

Working with blossom requires instinct and restraint. It’s a subtle ingredient — quiet on the palate but unmistakable when handled well. Too much heat, and the top notes disappear. Get it right, and what emerges is a spirit with real depth: floral, elegant, and unmistakably shaped by the season.

This year’s Nº7 botanical vodka carries with it the story of its place — a spirit shaped not just by process, but by timing, precision, and the orchard in bloom.

Because while the blossom may be gone, the best bits have been bottled.