“The only other rule is no empty glasses,” we’re told as the room reverbs in excited chuckles, an 18-strong group sat one-to-a-station at the individual copper pot gin stills of Listoke Distillery and Gin School, just outside Monasterboice in County Louth. We’re creating gin using a wide variety of flavours and botanicals from grain spirit at Listoke Distillery –– Ireland’s largest gin distillery, and a brand and business leading the way where gin is concerned, and by all estimations will thrive long beyond the craft gin boom in Ireland slows.

After a few house rules, the group is taken first on a short tour of the production process which sits alongside the Gin School in the same unit here in a quiet corner of Louth…