Television personality and motoring enthusiast, Richard Hammond, has steered into new territory with the launch of a premium gin and whisky collection in collaboration with Berkshire-based Hawkridge Distillers.
The move sees Hammond join his former Top Gear and Grand Tour co-stars, Jeremy Clarkson and James May, in the competitive world of celebrity spirits.
The collection initially includes Ratio London Dry Gin and Iron Ridge English Single Malt Whisky.
Ratio London Dry Gin is named to reflect Hammond’s engineering background, with a gear-shaped bottle design a further nod to his automotive career. Produced using locally sourced botanicals, it boasts notes of bilberries, wild gorse flowers, and a subtle hint of honey.
It launches alongside Iron Ridge English Single Malt Whisky, a spirit matured in American bourbon casks and named after a prominent hillside visible from Hammond’s Lake District house. The whisky offers a complex profile with notes of vanilla, caramel, and a delicate smokiness.
While a full-scale global release is planned for September 2025, a soft launch is currently underway through Cotswold Fayre, targeting the speciality and fine food sectors.
“Creating these spirits has been a real passion project,” said Hammond. “It’s about taking all that love for craftsmanship and storytelling I’ve picked up in the car world, and pouring it into something people can actually hold, taste, and enjoy. It’s me, just slightly more distilled.”
