True spirit: Daisy Hillier and Chloe Gillat

From refreshing flavours to the power of love language, to doing pockets of good where it counts and distilling the Watergate Bay gin, Daisy Hillier and Chloe Gillat knew the sort of spirits they wanted to make when they started the now award-winning Cornish craft distillers Loveday Distilling. And the sort of company they wanted to run.

“We both just really wanted to work for ourselves and shape a business we believed in. We’ve known each other since we were babies and have the same sensibility, so we hoped it would work, but it was a bit of a leap into the unknown!” Chloe Gillat is pondering what led her to set up a distillery with her best friend. In 2020, in the thick of lockdown.

It was a brave move and one that hasn’t been without its challenges. “We had our fair share of failed experiments in the early days for sure,” Daisy adds. “But underneath we knew the direction we wanted to head and the sort of brand we could be.”

Clear and bright

It’s a clarity of vision that’s led to accolades and fans the country over, for their clean, bright taste and pleasingly simple aesthetic. Loveday’s gin and rum buck the trend of fussy, ornate, over-worked brands and flavour profiles that dominated the market when they set out six years ago. As a former chef (Daisy) and designer (Chloe) the duo’s emphasis on craft and attention to detail has also underpinned the brand’s development – as well as their genuine aim to be the change they wanted to see.

“We were drinking a lot of gin and thought, ‘we can do something a bit different here’,” Chloe says. “At the time of starting Loveday, most gin and rum was made by men, for women. We weren’t seeing anything on the shelves that we would like to buy or drink. So we set out to put that right. We kind of knew we were trying our luck to break into it, but that was part of the challenge.”

Love language

Hand-distilled in small batches to preserve the seasonal freshness of their ingredients, Loveday spirits are contemporary, carefully balanced and handcrafted.

“We never use artificial flavours or sweeteners in our spirits,” Daisy explains of the Loveday approach. “We draw on the natural landscapes surrounding us, using Cornish spring water and locally foraged botanicals.”

“Our first gin was a love letter to our hometown. We wanted to use the most ‘Falmouth’ ingredient we could find – which to us is rock samphire (it’s everywhere) pairing it with fennel to create a really unusual gin flavour.”

The idea of love runs deep throughout the brand; a touchpoint for the founders in everything they do. “Coming from a cheffing background, I’ve always thought cooking a meal for somebody is like the purest expression of love you can make. Distilling comes from the same place. We do it because we care about people, about community, about connection. Hopefully anyone who enjoys Loveday feels a little of that care, when they pour a glass.”

Making it matter

Behind the scenes care is front and centre too. For the team, the community they’re part of, and the world around them. From carbon neutral couriers to no-plastic packaging, certified organic rum (one of only two distilleries in the UK to achieve it) and tamper-proof seals made of seaweed, to by-product ‘dunder’ fed to regeneratively-farmed, happy pigs, Loveday is constantly seeking innovative ways to leave a lighter footprint.

“It’s always been our way, doing our best to create the kindest product possible, whether it’s our gin, our rum, or our events – we want to make a difference however we can,” Chloe concludes. “If we can just know we’re a little pocket of good, doing our bit to stem the tide, we’re happy. And our team and our customers are happy too.”

Try & buy: Watergate Bay x Loveday

Bracing dips. Refreshing clifftop walks. Sun-warmed siestas. Mellow golden hours. Bright and zesty, our limited edition Watergate Bay X Loveday gin distils the essence of the Bay in every sip.

Balancing the uplifting zing of lemon verbena with the mellow taste of coastal botanicals chamomile and elderflower, the final gin recipe captures that distinctive Watergate Bay sensation of feeling both energised and relaxed among the elements.

Available exclusively from the hotel, try it in-house at our bars and restaurants, or pick up a bottle at the front desk and take a taste of the Bay home with you.

Top image (Daisy & Chloe) credit: Kasia Murfet

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