For Bullards, it starts with the name.
The Bullards story in Norwich stretches back to 1837, giving the company a historical connection to Norfolk's drinks trade that few contemporary distilleries can match.
But today's Bullards isn't trying to recreate a Victorian brewery.
The brand was revived in 2015 with the creation of Bullards Norwich Dry Gin, taking a historic Norwich name and giving it an entirely new life through modern distilling.
Since then, Bullards has developed an increasingly varied range of spirits, combining classic gin-making with Norfolk ingredients, more adventurous botanical combinations and a strong emphasis on sustainability.
It's an unusual combination:
Norwich heritage dating back to 1837, with spirits very much made for today.
The Bullards story – anchored in Norwich since 1837
The Bullards story began when Richard Bullard and his business partner purchased the Anchor Brewery in Norwich's Westwick Street in 1837.
What followed was a business that became deeply woven into Norwich's brewing history.
Across six generations, the Bullards name became associated with beer, wine and spirits, eventually growing into one of the city's best-known drinks businesses.
Brewing under the original company eventually came to an end, but more than a century and a half after Richard Bullard arrived in Norwich, the name was given another chapter.
In 2015, Bullards was revived and Norwich Dry Gin was created.
Gin rather than beer now sits at the heart of the business, but the connection with Norwich remains.
From Norwich Dry to the Norfolk coast
The Bullards range also provides an interesting way of exploring different interpretations of Norfolk gin.
Norwich Dry Gin is the modern expression that relaunched the Bullards name, combining traditional gin botanicals with more unusual ingredients.
Coastal Gin, meanwhile, looks towards Norfolk's coastline, using botanicals including Norfolk samphire, Douglas fir and sea purslane to create its distinctive character.
Elsewhere in the collection, Bullards explores fruit, spice and different botanical combinations across a growing range of spirits.
Rather than one gin in several different bottles, these are deliberately different interpretations of what a modern Norfolk spirit can be.
Sustainability – including bottles designed to be reused
Bullards has also made sustainability a significant part of its modern identity.
One of its most visible initiatives is its Eco-Refill Pouch system.
Rather than repeatedly buying and discarding decorative spirit bottles, customers can keep their Bullards bottle and replenish it using lighter refill pouches.
Bullards says its bottles are designed to be reused, turning the bottle itself into something to keep rather than single-use packaging.
It's a practical approach to one of the less glamorous questions surrounding premium spirits:
Do we really need another bottle every time we buy the gin?
Where can I buy Bullards Gin?
You can buy the full selection of Bullards spirits from The Norfolk Deli in Hunstanton, where Bullards sits alongside drinks from independent producers across Norfolk.
You can also order Bullards through our online shop for UK delivery.
So whether you're looking for Norwich Dry Gin, Coastal Gin, one of Bullards' fruit-led expressions or another bottle from the range, you can explore our current selection above and order it directly from us.
