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Silent Pool Distillery

Address: Silent Pool Distillery, Shere Road, Albury, Surrey, GU5 9BW

Availability: Monday: 9am - 6pm Saturday: 10am - 6pm Sunday: 10am - 5pm

Duration of Tour: 1.5 hours

Book  HERE .

Read the REVIEW .

For Your Money:

The Silent Pool Distillers’ gin experience begins with a talk about how the distillery came to be. You’ll also hear the slightly haunting (and frankly disturbing) legend of the Silent Pool itself.

You’ll be taken to the back of house for a gander at the still, then you’ll hear all about the four different methods of production employed by the distillers. After that, there’ll be a full taste of the range, along with their gin based fruit cordials (they have quite a few).

Your ticket includes a £5 voucher redeemable at the gift shop.

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Silent Pool Distillery tour review: Informative and fun but needed a little more gin

The 90-minute gin tour features a visit to the Silent Pool itself and sampling of the popular artisan drink

• 06:30, 18 MAY 2019

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We have become a nation obsessed with all things gin and it comes as no surprise that Surrey's very own gin distillery is attracting fans from across the country .

Located deep in the Surrey Hills , Silent Pool Distillers formulates, distills and bottles its award-winning gin and liqueurs all under one roof in Albury .

Tours of the distillery are run regularly to give customers an opportunity to learn how the handcrafted spirit is produced, plus sample Silent Pool Gin and its gin-based fruit cordials.

I booked an afternoon tour with my dad to test out the 90-minute experience and, most importantly, taste the gin.

Tour review

1.50pm arrival: The car park was packed and we were very lucky to find a space, so make sure you get there early.

I was surprised at just how small the site was, having recently been on the Bombay Sapphire Gin Distillery tour in Hampshire .

We could see a group beginning to gather by a door so we joined it and the tour guide took our name on her iPad and checked us in.

2pm tour: On the day we visited (Sunday) there was a choice of three tour times - 10am, 12pm and 2pm.

On the dot we entered a barn style building and the guide introduced herself.

She was engaging, easy to listen to and very passionate and knowledgeable about the brand.

The 90-minute tour began with a talk about how the brand came to fruition, the story of the Silent Pool , and the history of gin - where it came from and why it is so popular today.

2.30pm: Our group of around 12 were then taken down to the Silent Pool itself to continue the talk (there are 10 steep steps).

The sun was shining and the water was glimmering making it a great place for photos. We also fed the rainbow trout swimming in the pool while we listened to the talk.

2.45pm: We walked back up the steps to return to the main building to learn what makes Silent Pool Gin different, covering the four different methods of production, and what botanicals were used and why, with some sampling along the way.

3pm: We popped to the shed next door to have a look at the ancient wood-fired steam boiler that has to be checked every 20 minutes to ensure it remains at the correct temperature.

3.15pm: We returned to where we started, to finish the tour with a tasting of the full range, starting with the classic Silent Pool Gin and ending with gin-based fruit cordials.

I expected a few more samples or perhaps a complimentary g&t at the end given that tickets cost £20 per person, however the tastings we did receive were enjoyable.

Once the tour was over, the gift shop and bar was pointed out to us in case we wanted to purchase a bottle or enjoy a drink on the terrace.

3.30pm gift shop: The shop was adorned with tempting boozy goodies and without doubt, the turquoise bottle with gold printing on it looked absolutely beautiful, making it a fantastic present for a loved one.

The tour was very informative and enjoyable. The location was stunning and there was a genuine, relaxed artisan charm about the place, unlike the conveyor belt vibe often found at large tourist attractions.

The brand is a premium gin (£37 for 70 cl) so expect to pay more than the mainstream global varieties available in the supermarket.

I expected more samples and, in my opinion, I reckon customers would be willing to pay a few pounds more for their ticket if it meant a complimentary g&t was thrown in at the end as everyone likes the idea of getting a 'free drink'.

What Silent Pool Gin tastes like

It is a classic gin at heart, full-bodied and fresh with depth, clarity and flavour.

A rich and clean juniper-driven spirit, Silent Pool Gin is produced using 24 botanicals and the cool, clear spring-water from the Silent Pool itself.

The delicate flavours of lavender and chamomile combine with fresh citrus notes and a velvety local honey, to create a well-balanced gin that is both traditional and refreshingly individual in nature.

Serving suggestion: Recommended serve is with a generous handful of ice, a dash of tonic, and a twist of orange peel to garnish.

How to book a tour

Tours cost £20 per person and can be booked online at silentpooldistillers.com .

Gift vouchers are also available to purchase.

Address: Silent Pool Distillery, Shere Road, Albury, GU5 9BW

Telephone: 01483 229136

Car park: Free on site

Facilities: Portable toilets, gift shop, bar and outdoor terrace

Opening times:

Mon – Fri 9am to 5pm

Sat 10am to 6pm

Sun 10am to 5pm

Bank holiday 10am to 4pm

Site closed Christmas Day and Easter Sunday

Tour times vary, visit silentpooldistillers.com for current sessions.

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Silent Pool Walk and Distillery Tour

April 12, 2024 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm join us walking the countryside around silent pool, tour the world-renowned distillery and enjoy seasonal samples of locally produced gin.  back on track has teamed up with silent pool […].

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Join us walking the countryside around Silent Pool, tour the world-renowned distillery and enjoy seasonal samples of locally produced gin. 

Back on Track has teamed up with  Silent Pool Gin Distillery  to bring you a  combo of a country walk and Silent Pool Gin tasting experience.

The gentle 1.5h to max 2h easy circular walk (including a break)  starts from Silent Pool via the Saxon Church in Albury and stunning Albury Estate with a stop over at the most beautiful village in the Surrey Hills; Shere village. Returning via orchards and rolling fields with some enchanting views over the North Downs. Whilst exploring historic paths, learn some fascinating local history – stories of people and land, and why Silent Pool has always been a fascinating place to visit.

Depending on the day, we’ll take a 30min tour of the distillery at the start or at the end of our walk. The  Silent Pool shop and bar terrace will be available to you  to treat yourselves with Silent Pool gifts and specials, plus seasonal cocktails, as well as other favourites.

As part of our collaboration with Silent Pool Gin, participants of this walk receive:

• An informative guided mini tour of the gin distillery (30min)
• Including FREE tasting of their seasonal gin and other products
• A guided walk bursting with stories and hands on experiences
• A FREE Silent Pool G&T drink to enjoy or take home
• 15% off your first drink at the Pool bar for seasonal cocktails and other favourites
• £5 off when you spend £40 or more in the Shop

Meet:   By the shop/bar at the Silent Pool Distillery,  Shere Road, Albury, Surrey GU5 9BW, please arrive 5-10min earlier Facilities are by the Silent Pool Shop/bar area and in Shere Village. Parking:  Free public car park by Silent Pool, entrance by the A25 ,  Car park link here  What3Words  geocode for parking: hits.frog.speech https://w3w.co/hits.frog.speech Duration:  Walk 1.5-2h and 30min tour plus bar time, Difficulty:  Easy footpaths with one moderate climb (we’ll take it slow) Maximum number:  20 participants – over 18s only Dogs:  Dogs are welcome to join on the walk but not allowed on the distillery tour Public Transport:  Gomshall Train station is a 45min walk , Buses 32 Explorer :use stop Albury, Drummond Arms Pub is a 30min walk but bus passes Silent Pool on the way to next stop Shere Village Hall ( view time table here , but check updates on the  Compass Travel website )

Further event details and how to prepare for the walk:

Please ensure you have an early lunch or snack before the walk. Please wear sturdy shoes; bring waterproofs if necessary. The distance and duration of the walk depends on the group’s pace and weather conditions. We aim for a gentle walking pace with several stops. Apart from the gin tasting and the Free Gin & Tonic gift, other drinks are not included in the price. For further details on how to prepare please read our  Hiking Guide .

Other dates available – see our  full listings here .

Maximum number:  20 participants – over 18s only

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Silent Pool Distillery Tour

• Par Diva Domaines & Distilleries

Following a challenge organized with the sales team, we left for London!

Welcomed by the brand ambassador of Silent Pool, we visited the distillery. On the program: visit of the distillery and the Surrey Hills, tour of London and of the establishments that serve Silent Pool, aroma masterclass and marketing presentation of the brand.

Located south of the capital, in the Surrey Hills, its team creates a unique gin. The water is drawn from the pond of the same name, no less than 24 aromatic plants are harvested, most of them from the surrounding area, and local honey is even added to bring roundness. An exceptional aromatic palette and a wide range of products!

This premium local gin, produced in a responsible way, is already present in the most beautiful establishments in England, France and the world: cocktail bars, gourmet restaurants, hotels and palaces, the most beautiful cellars… A product developed by talented enthusiasts.

A big thank you to Marion and her team with Adam, Melissa, Rhian and many others for their warm welcome. Congratulations to the winners and see you soon!

A beautiful illustration of a winning partnership for DIVA Domaines & Distilleries and Silent Pool gin!

·  Discover our job offers -> https://www.diva-domaines-distilleries.com/career/

·   We look forward to seeing you at Wine Paris & Vinexpo from 13 to 15 February 2023 – find out more here . 

ALLIANCES D'EXCELLENCE

© 2021 DIVA Domaines & Distilleries | Drink responsibly. Legal Notice - creation of high quality website

Two toddlers found unresponsive at swimming pool in Louisiana apartment complex

METAIRIE, La. ( WVUE /Gray News) - Two toddler girls were found unresponsive at a community swimming pool at an apartment complex in Louisiana, according to authorities.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened at the Lemon Tree Apartments in the Metairie suburbs.

Emergency dispatchers received a call about the unresponsive children shortly before 9:55 a.m. on Sunday.

Initial reports indicated a pair of 2-year-olds had fallen or jumped into a pool.

The sheriff’s office says deputies arrived on the scene and began CPR efforts.

After paramedics arrived to continue treatment, deputies formed a rolling blockade of intersections along Causeway Boulevard to accelerate the safe transport of the children the hospital.

The sheriff’s office said the children arrived at the hospital at 10:24 a.m., but there was no indication from authorities that they ever regained consciousness.

Authorities have not disclosed the children’s identities. WVUE reported it is confirmed the children are both young girls.

“Our initial investigation indicates that the victims were outside their apartment unit playing with siblings, before entering the gated common pool area,” JPSO spokesman Sgt. Brandon Veal said in a statement. “This investigation is in its early stages. The identity of the victims are being withheld at this time.”

Copyright 2024 WVUE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Silent Pool Walk & Distillery Tour (Sat 26th Aug)

Join us walking the countryside around Silent Pool, tour the world-renowned distillery and enjoy seasonal samples of locally produced gin. 

Back on Track has teamed up with Silent Pool Gin Distillery to bring you a combo of a country walk and Silent Pool Gin tasting experience.

The gentle 5.5km (1.5h) easy circular walk starts from Silent Pool via the Saxon Church in Albury and stunning Albury Estate edging the most beautiful village in the Surrey Hills, Shere. Returning via orchards and rolling fields with some enchanting views over the North Downs. Whilst exploring historic paths, learn some fascinating local history – stories of people and land, and why Silent Pool has always been a fascinating place to visit.

Depending on the day, we’ll take a 30min tour of the distillery at the start or at the end of our walk.

The  Silent Pool shop and bar terrace will be available to you to treat yourselves with Silent Pool gifts and specials, plus seasonal cocktails, as well as other favourites.

As part of our collaboration with Silent Pool Gin, participants of this walk receive:

• An informative guided mini tour of the gin distillery (30min)
• Including FREE tasting of their seasonal gin and other products
• A guided walk bursting with stories and hands on experiences
• A FREE Silent Pool G&T drink to enjoy or take home
• 15% off your first drink at the Pool bar for seasonal cocktails and other favourites
• £5 off when you spend £40 or more in the Shop

When: Saturday 26th Aug 2023 at 10.00am (arrive 10min earlier) Duration: Walk 1.5-2h and 30min tour plus bar time Difficulty: Easy footpaths with one moderate climb (we’ll take it slow)

Meet: By the shop/bar at the Silent Pool Distillery, Shere Road, Albury, Surrey GU5 9BW Toilets are by the Shop/bar area. Parking: Public Car park Silent Pool, entrance by the A25 , Car park link here  What3Words geocode for parking: hits.frog.speech https://w3w.co/hits.frog.speech

Further event details and how to prepare for the walk: Please ensure you have an early lunch or snack before the walk. Please wear sturdy shoes; bring waterproofs if necessary. The distance and duration of the walk depends on the group’s pace and weather conditions. We aim for a gentle walking pace with several stops. Apart from the gin tasting and the Free Gin & Tonic gift, other drinks are not included in the price. For further details on how to prepare please read our  Hiking Guide .

Other dates available – see our full listings here .

Maximum number: 20 participants – over 18s only

Back on Track is committed to making the outdoors enjoyable and accessible for everyone. If this walk is too challenging for you, why not try one of our well – being walks. These are gently paced walks for beginners or less confident walkers who want to build walking fitness. Equally, if you would like a hiking challenge, look up one of our Surrey 3 Peaks (September) or day challenges, look for Special events on our  Events page.

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Divers find remains of Finnish WWII plane that was shot down by Moscow with a US diplomat aboard

Jari Tanner

Associated Press

The Junkers Ju 52 aircraft "Kaleva" by the Finnish airline Aero is parked at the Katajanokka seaplane harbor in Helsinki equipped with floating bottom skis. Photo dated July 14, 1936. With U.S. and French diplomatic couriers aboard, the civilian plane was shot down over the Baltic Sea by Soviet bombers on June 14, 1940 just days before Moscow annexed the three Baltic states. The mysterious case which claimed the lives of nine people is being solved after 84 years as an Estonian diving group has located the aircraft's wreckage off a tiny island close to Tallinn. (Finnish Aviation Museum via AP)

HELSINKI – The World War II mystery of what happened to a Finnish passenger plane after it was shot down over the Baltic Sea by Soviet bombers appears to finally be solved more than eight decades later.

The plane was carrying American and French diplomatic couriers in June 1940 when it was downed just days before Moscow annexed the Baltic states. All nine people on board the plane were killed, including the two-member Finnish crew and the seven passengers — an American diplomat, two French, two Germans, a Swede and a dual Estonian-Finnish national.

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A diving and salvage team in Estonia said this week that it had located well-preserved parts and debris from the Junkers Ju 52 plane operated by Finnish airline Aero, which is now Finnair. It was found off the tiny island of Keri near Estonia's capital, Tallinn, at a depth of around 70 meters (230 feet).

“Basically, we started from scratch. We took a whole different approach to the search,” Kaido Peremees, spokesman for the Estonian diving and underwater survey company Tuukritoode OU, explained the group’s success in finding the plane’s remains.

The downing of the civilian plane, named Kaleva, en route from Tallinn to Helsinki happened on June 14, 1940 — just three months after Finland had signed a peace treaty with Moscow following the 1939-40 Winter War.

The news about the fate of the plane was met with disbelief and anger by authorities in Helsinki who were informed that it was shot down by two Soviet DB-3 bombers 10 minutes after taking off from Tallinn’s Ulemiste airport.

“It was unique that a passenger plane was shot down during peacetime on a normal scheduled flight,” said Finnish aviation historian Carl-Fredrik Geust, who has investigated Kaleva’s case since the 1980s.

Finland officially kept silent for years about the details of the aircraft’s destruction, saying publicly only that a “mysterious crash” had taken place over the Baltic Sea, because it didn’t want to provoke Moscow.

Though well documented by books, research and television documentaries, the 84-year-old mystery has intrigued Finns. The case is an essential part of the Nordic country’s complex World War II history and sheds light into its troubled ties with Moscow.

But perhaps more importantly, the downing of the plane happened at a critical time just days before Josef Stalin's Soviet Union was preparing to annex the three Baltic states, sealing the fate of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for the next half-century before they eventually regained independence in 1991.

Moscow occupied Estonia on June 17, 1940 and Kaleva’s doomed journey was the last flight out of Tallinn, though Soviets had already started enforcing a tight transport embargo around the Estonian capital.

American diplomat Henry W. Antheil Jr., who is now considered one of the first U.S. casualties of World War II, was aboard the plane when it went down.

The 27-year-old Antheil, the younger brother of the acclaimed composer and pianist George Antheil, was on a rushed government mission evacuating sensitive diplomatic pouches from U.S. missions in Tallinn and Riga, Latvia, as it had become clear that Moscow was preparing to swallow up the small Baltic nations.

An Associated Press wire item dated June 15, 1940 noted that “Henry W. Antheil Jr. of Trenton, N. J., attached to the United States Legation in Helsinki, was killed in the mysterious explosion of a Finnish airliner yesterday.” In the U.S. media, Antheil's death was overshadowed by much bigger news from Europe at the time: the Nazi occupation of Paris.

The U.S. Embassy in Tallinn has thoroughly documented and researched the case over the years.

Embassy spokesman Mike Snyder told the AP that “news of the possible location of the wreck of the Kaleva passenger plane is of great interest to the United States, especially since one of the first U.S. casualties of the Second World War, Diplomat Henry Antheil, occurred as a result of the plane being downed.”

Earlier this month, the U.S. ambassador in Estonia, George P. Kent, shared a post on X that included photos of Antheil, Kaleva and a memorial plaque by the American Foreign Service Association in Washington with Antheil’s name engraved in it.

Kaleva was carrying 227 kilograms (500 pounds) of diplomatic post, including Antheil’s pouches and material from two French diplomatic couriers — identified as Paul Longuet and Frederic Marty.

Estonian fishermen and the lighthouse operator on Keri told Finnish media decades after the downing of the plane that a Soviet submarine surfaced close to Kaleva's crash site and retrieved floating debris, including document pouches, that had been collected by fishermen from the site.

This has led to conspiracy theories regarding the contents of the pouches and Moscow's decision to shoot down the plane. It still remains unclear why precisely the Soviet Union decided to down a civilian Finnish passenger plane during peacetime.

“Lots of speculation on the plane’s cargo has been heard over the years,” Geust said. “What was the plane transporting? Many suggest Moscow wanted to prevent sensitive material and documents from exiting Estonia.”

But he said that it could have simply been “a mistake” by the Soviet bomber pilots.

Various attempts to find Kaleva have been recorded since Estonia regained independence more than three decades ago. However, none of them have been successful.

Not even the U.S. Navy’s oceanographic survey vessel Pathfinder could locate remains of the plane in a 2008 search around the Keri island in a venture commissioned by the Estonian government from the Pentagon.

“The wreckage is in pieces and the seabed is quite challenging with rock formations, valleys and hills. It’s very easy to miss” small parts and debris from the aircraft, Peremees said. “Techniques have, of course, evolved a lot over the time. As always, you can have good technology but be out of luck.”

New video taken by underwater robots from Peremees’ company show clear images of the three-engine Junkers’ landing gear, one of the motors and parts of the wings.

Peremees and his group are “absolutely” convinced the parts belong to Kaleva because of the distinctive and recognizable design of the German-made Junkers Ju 52, one of the most popular European passenger and wartime transport planes in the 1930s and early 1940s.

The plane was operated by the predecessor of the Finnish national airline Finnair.

Jaakko Schildt, chief operations officer of Finnair, described Kaleva’s downing as “a tragic and profoundly sad event for the young airline” that Finnair, then named Aero, was in 1940.

“Finding the wreckage of Kaleva in a way brings closure to this, even though it does not bring back the lives of our customers and crew that were lost,” Schildt said. “The interest towards locating Kaleva in the Baltic Sea speaks of the importance this tragic event has in the aviation history of our region.”

Peremees said his company would now focus on creating 3D images of Kaleva’s debris and discuss with Estonian authorities about the possibility of raising some of the items and, if found, the plane’s cargo and human remains.

Snyder from the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn said that Washington is closely monitoring the diving group’s efforts.

“We are following the investigation of the site and will be happy to discuss with our Finnish and Estonian (NATO) allies any developments resulting from recovery efforts,” Snyder said.

A stone memorial set up in the early 1990s to the victims of the Kaleva crash is located on Keri, and Helsinki’s old preserved Malmi airport terminal building, where Kaleva was supposed to arrive, has a memorial plaque set up in 2020 with the names of the victims.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland sees hard road to peace with Russia as the way forward becomes uncertain

Western countries attending a peace summit in Switzerland have denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine but have fallen short of persuading major non-aligned states to join their final statement. 

More than 90 countries attended the two-day talks at a Swiss Alpine resort at the behest of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the weekend. 

The event was billed as a "peace summit" even though Moscow was not invited. 

Russia ridiculed the event from afar. A decision by China to stay away all but assured that the summit would fail to achieve Ukraine's goal of persuading major countries from the "global south" to join in isolating Russia.

"None of the participants in the 'peace forum' knows what he is doing there and what his role is,"  Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's former president and now deputy chairman of the country's Security Council, said. 

Brazil attended only as an "observer". And in the end, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and South Africa all withheld their signatures from the summit communique, even though some contentious issues were omitted in the hope of drawing wider support.

Still, the conference provided Kyiv with a chance to showcase the support from Western allies that it says it needs to keep fighting against a far bigger enemy.

"We are responding to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine not only with a full-scale defence of human life, but also with full-scale diplomacy," Mr Zelenskyy said.

Leaders including US Vice-President Kamala Harris, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron gathered at the mountaintop resort of Buergenstock.

US President Joe Biden, in Europe for other events last week, did not attend despite public invitations from Mr Zelenskyy.

The front lines in Ukraine have barely moved since the end of 2022, despite tens of thousands of dead on both sides in relentless trench warfare, the bloodiest fighting in Europe since World War II.

In her closing remarks, Swiss President Viola Amherd warned that the "road ahead is long and challenging".

'Things can't go on like this'

After initial Ukrainian successes that saw Kyiv repel an assault on the capital and recapture territory in the war's first year, a major Ukrainian counteroffensive using donated Western tanks fizzled last year.

Russian forces still hold a fifth of Ukraine and are again advancing, albeit slowly. No peace talks have been held for more than two years.

"We know that peace in Ukraine will not be achieved in one step, it will be a journey," European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen said, calling for "patience and determination".

"It was not a peace negotiation because [Russia's President Vladimir] Putin is not serious about ending the war, he's insisting on capitulation, he's insisting on ceding Ukrainian territory — even territory that today is not occupied."

In the absence of a clear path to ending the war, Mr Zelenskyy emphasised practical issues, such as nuclear safety and securing food supplies from Ukraine, one of the world's biggest grain exporters.

The summit's final declaration called for Ukraine's control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and its Azov Sea ports to be restored. But in line with the conference's more modest stated aims, it omitted tougher issues of what a post-war settlement for Ukraine might look like, whether Ukraine could join the NATO alliance or how troop withdrawals from both sides might work.

"The more allies that can be found to say 'Things can't go on like this', 'This is too much', 'That's overstepping the mark', that also increases the moral pressure on the Russian Federation," Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said.

As Sunday's talks turned towards issues of food security and nuclear power, some leaders left early.

No country came forward to host another such meeting, with notable silence from Saudi Arabia, mooted as a possible future venue. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the kingdom was ready to assist the peace process but a viable settlement would hinge on "difficult compromise".

Since initial peace talks in the first months after the February 2022 invasion, Ukraine has consistently demanded Russia withdraw from all its land, while Moscow has demanded recognition of its rule over territory its forces captured.

Last week, in remarks clearly aimed at the conference, Mr Putin said Russia would not halt the war until Kyiv withdraws its forces fully from four provinces that Moscow only partially controls and claims to have annexed. Kyiv swiftly denounced that as a demand for surrender.

"Of course we … understand perfectly that a time will come when it will be necessary to talk to Russia," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

"But our position is very clear: We will not allow Russia to speak in the language of ultimatums like it is speaking now."

Western leaders at the summit endorsed Kyiv's refusal to negotiate under such terms.

"Confusing peace with subjugation would set a dangerous precedent for everyone," Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said. 

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Silent pool distillery tour.

Wow, what an experience. A 90-minute tour of the UK’s most famous distillery, Silent Pool Distillers, set against the beautiful backdrop of the meandering Surrey Hills.

From the moment we arrived the friendly staff at Silent Pool Distillers in Albury made us feel welcome and at home. The tour started in The Pool Bar where we had a brief outline of what our afternoon was going to be like – from the Silent Pool’s history, distilling process and (of course!) gin tasting.

Our Australian tour guide Paul was both hilarious and informative, making us belly laugh at several times throughout the tour. We loved the fact they name certain ingredients such as Kevin the Bergamot Fruit and their stills are called Juliet and her ‘big sister’ Ophelia.

The history of the Silent Pool is so interesting too. Dating back to Pagan times when women (or witches – as they believed at the time) were sacrificed in the clear, 6-degree waters. A dredging of the Pool in the 1900’s came up with hundreds of items of jewellery and artefacts proving this.

When it gets really interesting is around the time of Richard The Lionheart and the legend of Robin Hood in approximately 1160. A young nobleman called John lived on the land surrounding Albury. He used to hunt in the forests and take the riches of the locals. A young girl called Emma, the Woodcutter’s Daughter, used to bathe in the Silent Pool every day and was seen by John who tried to attack her one afternoon. Instead of giving up her modesty, Emma crept further into the pool to hide from him and was sucked under. She sadly drowned trying to escape him.

A few years later, John was crowned King of England following the death of his older brother Richard The Lionheart, and John’s reign of terror started. He has been known throughout history as one of the worst and most evil of Kings. The death of Emma spurred the myth of the Silent Pool even further. Since that fateful day when she innocently went swimming, many people have been to the Silent Pool to try and end their lives in the honourable way Emma did. Innocent and free, rather than be subjected to evil and shame.

It wasn’t until respected author Agatha Christie went missing in 1926 that the legend of the Silent Pool resurfaced in the public eye. When Agatha found out her husband Archie was having an affair and was planning to leave her, she abandoned her car near the Silent Pool and disappeared for 13 days. Everyone thought she was dead although she had actually checked into a spa under Archie’s mistresses name in Harrogate! Funny? No. As the whole country suspected at the time of her disappearance that Archie had murdered her. It was then the tables turned on Agatha when the truth of her whereabouts came out. She was castigated by the nation for ‘setting up’ Archie.

So again, the Pool got even more press. It was definitely becoming somewhat of a national treasure. To this day the Silent Pool is considered by locals to have special powers and definitely has an eeriness about it. During the tour there were several guests noticeably getting chills down their spine as the talks progressed. It is green to look at with so much moss and foliage at its side. We saw at least 100 turquoise dragonflies circling the pool. The same beautiful colour that is on their famous bottles interestingly. The fact that this site is steeped in so much history and legend is an honour to Surrey and the Silent Pool Gin founders that have kept it in its natural state.

ENTREPRENEURS CARRY ON THE LEGEND

So how did the brand come about? Well, in 2014, Silent Pool Gin founders Ian McCulloch and James Shelbourne met in their local pub (where else?!) and discussed the idea of setting up a distillery. The duo started out with a grand vision of making it next to a fresh water source, producing handcrafted, artisan spirits using locally sourced ingredients.

But first they needed the perfect location. Most distilleries end up in grim locations or boring industrial estates. Ian and James wanted somewhere filled with history, a good story and plenty of provenance. After scouting many locations in the south of England, one day Ian discovered Sherbourne Farm on the banks of the Silent Pool. Excited by the find, Ian and James contacted the landowner, The Duke of Northumberland, and got the go ahead to restore the dilapidated farm buildings into the Silent Pool Distillery.

And the rest as they say is history. Thanks Ian and James! Silent Pool Gin is considered one of the UK’s most famous gins and exports around the world to hundreds of countries producing a staggering 45,000 bottles a year. All from Surrey’s infamous Silent Pool.

GIN MAKING (& TESTING!)

During the tour, we were able to learn everything about Silent Pool Distiller’s award-winning gin and try five variations. Praise the Lord! (You shot the gin by the way and have a tonic chaser to truly experience the flavour.) Drivers on the day are told to dip their finger and rub on their tongue. We recommend getting a cab!

What makes Silent Pool Gin so unique and flavoursome is down to their delicious recipe with a selection of botanicals including Bosnian juniper berries, liquorice root, cassia bark, orris and bergamot (or Kevin!) which are then bruised and macerated in spirit before being transferred to the still. As Paul was explaining the process, we were able to smell the core ingredients that go into the gin. Heavenly… especially the bitter orange. These key ingredients are what give Silent Pool Gin its unique depth and flavour.

We also discovered their unique four-stage process allows the distillers to precisely control the quality and flavour of the gin. Interestingly, after the third distilling process, the gin comes out as 86% proof but when mixed with the purified Silent Pool water it drops down to its final 43% volume.

Then we were able to see the gin basket infusion, which hangs in the neck of their Holstein still. Fresh orange and lime peel, dried pears, Macedonian Juniper and Polish Angelica – to name but a few, lift the spirit with bright aromatics and citrus notes. The more delicate botanicals such as rose petals, kaffir lime leaves, linden and elderflower are separately macerated in a process that is called the ‘Gin Tea Infusion’, stripping the oils and aromatic compounds from the vegetal matter. This is strained and added to the pot, which lend the gin its ethereal high notes of perfumed lime and floral essence. The distillation process is completed using a multi-chambered fractioning column and through precise control over a series of plates and cooling pipes finally balancing the spirit, ready to be packaged and sent.

GINTASTIC OPTIONS

SILENT POOL GIN (ORIGINAL)

Luxury English gin handcrafted with 24 botanicals in the Surrey Hills. Full-bodied and fresh with clarity and depth of flavour. A rich, juniper-driven spirit with floral layers of lavender and chamomile.

https://silentpooldistillers.com/silent-pool-gin-1/

SILENT POOL GIN PLATINUM EDITION

To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee a stunning one-of-a-kind bottle for a once in 1,000 year occasion! Enjoy aromatic peach caressed by floral notes, subtle layers of juniper, delicate hints of tea giving way to light rose notes all the while underpinned by bright, citrusy pepper.

www.silentpooldistillers.com/silent-pool-gin-platinum-celebration-edition/

SILENT POOL RARE CITRUS GIN

An innovative and alluring gin handcrafted with the world’s rarest citrus. Expertly balances bright and zesty notes of Buddha’s Hand with enticingly rich notes of Natsu Dai Dai, subtly sweetened with Hirado Buntan.

www.silentpooldistillers.com/silent-pool-rare-citrus-gin-1/

SILENT POOL ROSE EXPRESSION

Light, elegant and smooth with notes of vetiver and cardamom mingling beautifully on the palate. Delicate rose notes build in the back of the mouth, along with a lingering finish of citrus and spice.

www.silentpooldistillers.com/silent-pool-rose-expression-gin/

GUILDFORD GIN

Silent Pool’s Guildford Gin celebrates the vibrant and exciting town of Guildford in Surrey. This gin is inspired by the town’s rich historic past, drawing on locally abundant flavours such as Heather, Wild Thyme and Nettle. This wildflower packed gin produces a fresh, light, floral taste, perfect for those who appreciate more delicate flavours.

www.silentpooldistillers.com/silent-pool-distillers-guildford-gin/

We learnt so much on this tour as well as having lots of fun and will definitely be back soon, like Mel who was on her third visit!

We chatted to several members of the tour afterwards to get their take on the day.

Anita Telfar from Reigate, said: “The tour was fantastic and our tour guide Peter (it was Paul, hiccup!) was so fun and informative. We will definitely be back!”

(Anita’s best mate Mel on the tour has been twice before. She took her son on his 19 th birthday and her mum for her 70 th – Silent Pool tours span all ages.)

Russell Evans from Chichester, said: “I thought it was excellent. I enjoyed the stories about the pool and was surprised by how many gins they had. Yeah fantastic, would totally recommend this tour.”

WHAT GOES ON TOUR (DOESN’T STAY ON TOUR!)

After the tour we stayed on for a drink at The Pool Bar overlooking the Silent Pool. Each tour guest then receives a £5 off voucher to use in their on-site distillery shop. There is an impressive range of products on display including deals to be had such as purchasing a bottle of Silent Pool Gin and you get a free branded gin glass. Well worth a visit for this reason alone! We stocked up and even got free Silent Pool Gin branded bags with our purchase.

Be sure to check out The Woodcutter’s Daughter Whiskey out now too – a new addition for 2022. It is devine – smooth and oaky. Thanks SP!

The Silent Pool Distillery Tour costs £20 per person and runs twice daily from Thursday to Sunday. The distillery shop is open 7 days a week as is their fab Pool Bar for drinks and bar snacks.

Call: 01483 229136

Website: www.silentpooldistillers.com

FB/Instagram: @silentpoolgin

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‘Duty to warn’ guided US advance warning of the Moscow attack. Adversaries don’t always listen

Mourners lay flowers for the victims at the site of terror attack in Moscow

In this photo released by Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on March 23, 2024, firefighters work in the burned concert hall after an attack on the building of the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia. A little-known U.S. intelligence principle called the “duty to warn” came into play ahead of the deadly attack on Moscow’s outskirts. U.S. officials invoked that duty when warning Russian officials a full two weeks before Friday’s attack. Just three days before the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed such Western warnings as provocations. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin addressees the nation in Moscow, Russia, March 23, 2024. A little-known U.S. intelligence principle called the “duty to warn” came into play ahead of the deadly attack on Moscow’s outskirts. U.S. officials invoked that duty when warning Russian officials a full two weeks before the attack on Friday, March 22. Just three days before the attack, Putin dismissed such Western warnings as provocations. (Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. warning to Russia couldn’t have been plainer: Two weeks before the deadliest attack in Russia in years, Americans had publicly and privately advised President Vladimir Putin’s government that “extremists” had “imminent plans” for just such slaughter.

The United States shared those advance intelligence indications under a tenet of the U.S. intelligence community called the “duty to warn,” which obliges U.S. intelligence officials to lean toward sharing knowledge of a dire threat if conditions allow. That holds whether the targets are allies, adversaries or somewhere in between.

There’s little sign Russia acted to try to head off Friday’s attack at a concert hall on Moscow’s edge, which killed more than 130 people. The Islamic State’s affiliate in Afghanistan claimed responsibility, and the U.S. said it has information backing up the extremist group’s claim.

John Kirby, the Biden administration’s national security spokesman, made clear that the warning shouldn’t be seen as a breakthrough in U.S.-Russian relations or intelligence-sharing. “Yeah, look, there’s not going to be security assistance with Russia and the United States,” Kirby told reporters Monday.

“We had a duty to warn them of information that we had, clearly that they didn’t have. We did that,” Kirby said.

Such warnings aren’t always heeded — the United States has dropped the ball in the past on at least one Russian warning of extremist threats in the United States.

Here’s a look at the duty to warn, how it came about, and how it can play out when American intelligence officers learn militants are poised to strike.

AHEAD OF THE ATTACK, A CLEAR US WARNING

On March 7, the U.S. government went public with a remarkably precise warning: The U.S. Embassy in Moscow was monitoring unspecified reports that “extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts.” It warned U.S. citizens in Moscow to avoid big events over the next 48 hours.

U.S. officials said after the attack that they had shared the warning with Russian officials as well, under the duty to warn, but gave no details how.

Putin’s public reaction was dismissive. Three days before the attack, he condemned what he called “provocative statements” from the West about possible attacks within Russia. Such warnings were aimed at intimidating Russians and destabilizing the country, he said.

DUTY TO WARN

The U.S. emphasis on sharing threat warnings increased after al-Qaeda’s Aug. 7, 1998, attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. While dozens of U.S. citizens and government employees of different nationalities were killed, Kenyans made up the majority of the victims.

In 2015, then national intelligence director James Clapper formalized duty to warn in an official directive: The U.S. intelligence community bore “a responsibility to warn U.S. and non-U.S. persons of impending threats of intentional killing, serious bodily injury or kidnapping.”

The order also spelled out occasions when intelligence officials could waive the duty to warn and stay silent despite looming danger. That includes when the target is an assassin or other extreme bad guy, or when disclosing the warning could “unduly endanger” U.S. personnel or their sources, those of intelligence partners among foreign governments, or their intelligence or defense operations.

SHARED WARNINGS AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

The intelligence community under former President Donald Trump faced accusations it had failed to warn U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi of a complex plot by Saudi officials that ended with his 2018 killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Media foundations say U.S. intelligence agencies did not respond to requests for any records showing whether they knew of the plot in advance.

Under the Biden administration, the sharing of threats to other governments has flourished, although there’s no way to know of any threats that the U.S. intelligence community may have decided to let play out, without warning the targets.

Strategic U.S. dissemination of intelligence hit a high point in the months before Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. That’s when the U.S. opted to declassify key intelligence on Russia’s invasion plans to rally allies and Ukraine, and — unsuccessfully — to pressure Russia to call off its troops.

In a Foreign Affairs article this spring, CIA Director William Burns spoke of a growing awareness of the value of “intelligence diplomacy” — the strategic use of intelligence findings to bolster allies and confound adversaries.

SHARING ISN’T ALWAYS CARING

The duty to warn doesn’t mean the other side has a duty to listen. That’s especially so when the other side is an adversary.

In January, a U.S. official said, Americans had given a similar warning to Iranian officials ahead of bombings in the Iranian city of Kerman . The Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack, twin suicide bombings that killed 95 people.

It’s not clear if the warning led to any additional security precautions at the event, a commemoration of the 2020 killing of an Iranian general by a U.S. drone strike.

In 2004, another adversary, the government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, an anti-U.S. populist, was “suspicious and incredulous” when U.S. officials relayed a warning of an extremist plot to kill him, Stephen McFarland, a former U.S. diplomat in Central and South America, said Monday on X.

That kind of deep distrust has often kept threat warnings from landing as intended when it comes to Russia and the United States. That’s true even with common dangers that both face, including the Islamic State and al-Qaida.

Historically, Russians can regard any U.S. attempt at counterintelligence cooperation against that kind of shared threat as naive, and look for any openings to use it for political gain or to undermine U.S. intelligence-gathering, Steven Hall, a longtime U.S. intelligence official in the former Soviet Union, wrote after his retirement in 2015.

In 2013, it was U.S. officials who, tragically, failed adequately to follow up on a Russian warning, a U.S. government review concluded later.

Concerned the man posed a threat to Russia as well, Russia’s Federal Security Service in 2011 warned U.S. officials that a U.S. resident, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, was an adherent of extremist groups. After U.S. officials concluded Tsarnaev was not a threat in the U.S., he and his younger brother planted bombs along the route of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring hundreds.

AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

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Divers find remains of finnish wwii plane that was shot down by moscow with us diplomat aboard.

HELSINKI (AP) — The World War II mystery of what happened to a Finnish passenger plane after it was shot down over the Baltic Sea by Soviet bombers appears to finally be solved more than eight decades later.

The plane was carrying American and French diplomatic couriers in June 1940 when it was downed just days before Moscow annexed the Baltic states. All nine people on board the plane were killed, including the two-member Finnish crew and the seven passengers — an American diplomat, two French, two Germans, a Swede and a dual Estonian-Finnish national.

A diving and salvage team in Estonia said this week that it had located well-preserved parts and debris from the Junkers Ju 52 plane operated by Finnish airline Aero, which is now Finnair. It was found off the tiny island of Keri near Estonia’s capital, Tallinn, at a depth of around 70 meters (230 feet).

“Basically, we started from scratch. We took a whole different approach to the search,” Kaido Peremees, spokesman for the Estonian diving and underwater survey company Tuukritoode OU, explained the group’s success in finding the plane’s remains.

The downing of the civilian plane, named Kaleva, en route from Tallinn to Helsinki happened on June 14, 1940 — just three months after Finland had signed a peace treaty with Moscow following the 1939-40 Winter War.

The news about the fate of the plane was met with disbelief and anger by authorities in Helsinki who were informed that it was shot down by two Soviet DB-3 bombers 10 minutes after taking off from Tallinn’s Ulemiste airport.

“It was unique that a passenger plane was shot down during peacetime on a normal scheduled flight,” said Finnish aviation historian Carl-Fredrik Geust, who has investigated Kaleva’s case since the 1980s.

Finland officially kept silent for years about the details of the aircraft’s destruction, saying publicly only that a “mysterious crash” had taken place over the Baltic Sea, because it didn’t want to provoke Moscow.

Though well documented by books, research and television documentaries, the 84-year-old mystery has intrigued Finns. The case is an essential part of the Nordic country’s complex World War II history and sheds light into its troubled ties with Moscow. But perhaps more importantly, the downing of the plane happened at a critical time just days before Josef Stalin’s Soviet Union was preparing to annex the three Baltic states, sealing the fate of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for the next half-century before they eventually regained independence in 1991.

Moscow occupied Estonia on June 17, 1940 and Kaleva’s doomed journey was the last flight out of Tallinn, though Soviets had already started enforcing a tight transport embargo around the Estonian capital.

American diplomat Henry W. Antheil Jr., who is now considered one of the first U.S. casualties of World War II, was aboard the plane when it went down.

The 27-year-old Antheil, the younger brother of the acclaimed composer and pianist George Antheil, was on a rushed government mission evacuating sensitive diplomatic pouches from U.S. missions in Tallinn and Riga, Latvia, as it had become clear that Moscow was preparing to swallow up the small Baltic nations.

An Associated Press wire item dated June 15, 1940 noted that “Henry W. Antheil Jr. of Trenton, N. J., attached to the United States Legation in Helsinki, was killed in the mysterious explosion of a Finnish airliner yesterday.” In the U.S. media, Antheil’s death was overshadowed by much bigger news from Europe at the time: the Nazi occupation of Paris.

The U.S. Embassy in Tallinn has thoroughly documented and researched the case over the years.

Embassy spokesman Mike Snyder told the AP that “news of the possible location of the wreck of the Kaleva passenger plane is of great interest to the United States, especially since one of the first U.S. casualties of the Second World War, Diplomat Henry Antheil, occurred as a result of the plane being downed.”

Earlier this month, the U.S. ambassador in Estonia, George P. Kent, shared a post on X that included photos of Antheil, Kaleva and a memorial plaque by the American Foreign Service Association in Washington with Antheil’s name engraved in it.

Kaleva was carrying 227 kilograms (500 pounds) of diplomatic post, including Antheil’s pouches and material from two French diplomatic couriers — identified as Paul Longuet and Frederic Marty.

Estonian fishermen and the lighthouse operator on Keri told Finnish media decades after the downing of the plane that a Soviet submarine surfaced close to Kaleva’s crash site and retrieved floating debris, including document pouches, that had been collected by fishermen from the site.

This has led to conspiracy theories regarding the contents of the pouches and Moscow’s decision to shoot down the plane. It still remains unclear why precisely the Soviet Union decided to down a civilian Finnish passenger plane during peacetime.

“Lots of speculation on the plane’s cargo has been heard over the years,” Geust said. “What was the plane transporting? Many suggest Moscow wanted to prevent sensitive material and documents from exiting Estonia.”

But he said that it could have simply been “a mistake” by the Soviet bomber pilots.

Various attempts to find Kaleva have been recorded since Estonia regained independence more than three decades ago. However, none of them have been successful. Not even the U.S. Navy’s oceanographic survey vessel Pathfinder could locate remains of the plane in a 2008 search around the Keri island in a venture commissioned by the Estonian government from the Pentagon.

“The wreckage is in pieces and the seabed is quite challenging with rock formations, valleys and hills. It’s very easy to miss” small parts and debris from the aircraft, Peremees said. “Techniques have, of course, evolved a lot over the time. As always, you can have good technology but be out of luck.”

New video taken by underwater robots from Peremees’ company show clear images of the three-engine Junkers’ landing gear, one of the motors and parts of the wings.

Peremees and his group are “absolutely” convinced the parts belong to Kaleva because of the distinctive and recognizable design of the German-made Junkers Ju 52, one of the most popular European passenger and wartime transport planes in the 1930s and early 1940s.

The plane was operated by the predecessor of the Finnish national airline Finnair. Jaakko Schildt, chief operations officer of Finnair, described Kaleva’s downing as “a tragic and profoundly sad event for the young airline” that Finnair, then named Aero, was in 1940.

“Finding the wreckage of Kaleva in a way brings closure to this, even though it does not bring back the lives of our customers and crew that were lost,” Schildt said. “The interest towards locating Kaleva in the Baltic Sea speaks of the importance this tragic event has in the aviation history of our region.”

Peremees said his company would now focus on creating 3D images of Kaleva’s debris and discuss with Estonian authorities about the possibility of raising some of the items and, if found, the plane’s cargo and human remains.

Snyder from the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn said that Washington is closely monitoring the diving group’s efforts.

“We are following the investigation of the site and will be happy to discuss with our Finnish and Estonian (NATO) allies any developments resulting from recovery efforts,” Snyder said.

A stone memorial set up in the early 1990s to the victims of the Kaleva crash is located on Keri, and Helsinki’s old preserved Malmi airport terminal building, where Kaleva was supposed to arrive, has a memorial plaque set up in 2020 with the names of the victims.

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