The second installment of the Hawkridge Distillers trio of the brand, The Blowing Stone tells the story of a curious stone that is perforated in such a way that it can be blown to create a booming sound across the valley in Compton, Berkshire. As the story goes, the stone was blown to call to arms the army of Alfred the Great to defeat the marauding Vikings in the Battle of Ashdown, some 1100 years ago. With the distillery only a stone’s throw away, the story was a natural fit.

The Blowing Stone has a special light sheen spray coating with texture FX, to give a shimmer stoney finish, before a satin Anglo Saxon inspired screen print is applied. Finally, beautiful uncoated paper stock labels at added over the top, which are finished with a silver metallic foil, tactile spot varnish and embossing.

The Blowing Stone Gin range is the second installment of 3 brands designed for the Hawkridge Distillers based in Compton, Berkshire. Following on from the Dragon Hill Gin, The Blowing Stone Gin is the flavour focused brand positioned to sit below the third and final super-premium Hawkridge brand which will be launched in late 2020.

On the 8th January 871, an Anglo-Saxon army, led by King Ethelred and his younger brother, the future King Alfred the Great was about to face the Viking army…a formidable enemy, intent on establishing Danish rule over the whole of England. Having conquered every other kingdom in England, just one more separated the Vikings from total domination – The Kingdom of Wessex.

Known as ‘The Great Heathen Army,’ the Vikings had been camped at Reading. Marching west into the North Wessex Downs, they were to meet the Wessex Army close to the prehistoric Ridgeway path just outside the village of Compton.

To summon his troops into battle that morning, Alfred blew into an ancient perforated sarsen stone which delivered a loud booming sound across the downs. Known as ‘The Blowing Stone’ this marked the beginning of the Battle of Ashdown from which Alfred emerged victorious.

The Blowing Stone, pictured right, has been moved from its original location and now resides, rather unceremoniously in the front garden of a house!