First Impressions
Some gins play it safe. Sacred Christmas Pudding Gin is not one of them. Produced by the Sacred Spirits Company — a micro-distillery founded in Highgate, North London, by Ian Hart — this gin is made by distilling actual Christmas puddings. Not Christmas pudding flavouring. Not spice extracts designed to approximate the taste. Actual whole Christmas puddings, made according to Hart's Great Aunt Nellie's recipe, steamed for eight hours, macerated with English grain spirit for two months, and then redistilled.
Thirty pounds of Christmas pudding go into each batch. It is an act of either madness or genius — and having tasted the result, I am firmly in the genius camp.
The Distillery
Sacred Spirits Company operates from Ian Hart's home in Highgate, London — one of the most unusual distillery locations in the country. Hart uses vacuum distillation at low temperature, a technique that preserves delicate flavour compounds that conventional distillation would destroy. For the Christmas Pudding Gin, the two-month maceration allows the spirit to absorb the full complexity of the pudding — the dried fruit, the suet, the spices, the citrus peel — before redistillation captures these flavours in spirit form. The result has been served at London institutions including Rules (London's oldest restaurant) and the Italian restaurant Luca.
Tasting
The nose is extraordinary. Juniper takes centre stage — properly, recognisably gin — but it is beautifully interwoven with rich, boozy notes reminiscent of Christmas cake. Plump raisins, candied orange peel, and glacé cherries create a dried fruit complexity that is uncannily accurate. Warming spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove — add the festive warmth that the name promises. It smells like Christmas Day after lunch, with a gin glass in hand. It should not work. It works magnificently.
On the palate, the juniper backbone provides a familiar gin foundation that is quickly embraced by the warmth and sweetness of Christmas pudding. Candied fruit — raisins and currants — are particularly prominent, alongside hints of citrus zest and warming spice. There is a surprisingly rich, almost cakey texture that the long maceration contributes, and the balance between gin character and pudding character is expertly managed. Neither element overwhelms the other; they exist in a festive harmony.
The finish is warming and spiced. Cinnamon and clove provide satisfying warmth that lingers, and the aftertaste embodies the essence of the season. It is a finish that makes you smile — which is, after all, the point.
How to Drink It
Sacred Christmas Pudding Gin makes a remarkable G&T — use Fever-Tree Indian Tonic and garnish with an orange twist and a cinnamon stick. The tonic brings out the citrus notes and provides a bitter counterpoint to the pudding's sweetness. It also makes a stellar Negroni, where the dried fruit and spice create a wintertime version of the classic.
For a cocktail, try Brian Silva's 'Aunt Nellie's Tipple' from Rules restaurant — shake the gin with lemon juice and a touch of maple syrup, and strain into a coupe. The pudding notes make it a dessert cocktail that requires no actual dessert.
The Bottom Line
Sacred Christmas Pudding Gin earns a 7.5 for sheer creative brilliance and the technical skill to execute an outrageous concept with genuine finesse. The Christmas pudding character is unmistakable and wonderfully evocative, but the juniper backbone ensures it remains a gin rather than a novelty liqueur. At around £32, it is a bottle that makes an unforgettable gift, an extraordinary talking point, and — most importantly — a genuinely delicious drink. Not just for Christmas, but especially for Christmas.
