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You cannot have failed to notice the buzz about bees when it comes to the royal family. Buckingham Palace is home to four beehives and Clarence House has two. Queen Camilla produces honey in her Wiltshire home, Kate has been pictured in a beekeeping suit tending to hives in Norfolk, and even all the way across the pond Harry and Meghan continue the trend with their own Montecito bees.
So it was something of a treat to have the opportunity to don my very own beekeeping suit and have a go at one of the royal’s favorite hobbies. And it was also in the name of learning more about (and of course, sampling) Royal Ascot’s official gin Silent Pool, which is made with, you guessed it, local honey.
Victoria Murphy
“The bees do all the work and we take all the credit,” said Head Distiller at Silent Pool, Marzio Di Rocco. “The bees pollinate all around us, so they grab all the flavours around our distillery and put it in the honey. So we can distill that flavour and we get really strong floral notes, but they’re also very aromatic. Through the distillation we don’t get sweetness but we can get a texture of creaminess and that’s given by the honey.”
Silent Pool is not alone in using honey to make gin. However, they have a distinct approach with two beehives on site at their home on the Duke of Northumberland’s Albury Estate in the Surrey Hills, where the distillery is situated next to the Silent Pool that inspired its name. The distillery describes the local honey as their “most cherished botanical” that creates the “velvety, indulgent mouthfeel” of the gin. The hives are tended to by independent bee farmer Sergio, who looks after more than 40 apiaries in the area. Passionate about his bees, Sergio also runs beekeeping experiences which end with a delicious Bee’s Knees cocktail.
Victoria Murphy
Indeed, Silent Pool cocktails were on offer at Royal Ascot last week as the royal family joined celebrities and the who’s who of the horse racing world for a highlight of the summer social season. Silent Pool became the official gin supplier to the racecourse in 2025 in a three-year agreement, and Silent Pool hosted guests at this year’s meet in a box with a prime view of the racetrack. The gin is also used to make Royal Ascot’s signature drink Royal Ascot Blush; gin, strawberry cordial and lemonade garnished with strawberries.
Fit for royalty in so many ways.
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