Sheffield: Gin Distillery Tasting Visit with Guided Tour

Sheffield’s gin story begins in an unlikely place: Portland Works, the 1879 building linked to the invention of stainless steel. Inside, Locksley Distilling Co. makes its drinks in small batches, keeping production in-house and sharing the work with visitors in an intimate 90-minute tour.

I like the mix of local industry and practical distilling. You get to see a working artisan business rather than simply sit at a bar, then taste through the products with guidance from people who care about the details. I also like the small group limit of 10, which gives the visit a more personal feel.

The main drawback is finding the entrance. You must wait outside the gate on the corner of Randall Street, and there may be no obvious sign outside. Give yourself time to get your bearings, and bring warm clothing since this is a working historic building, not a polished modern visitor centre.

Key points before you book

• Portland Works provides the setting: Tour a Grade 2 listed Sheffield building opened in 1879 and tied to the city’s stainless steel story.
• The tasting is broad: You receive a Locksley G&T, then sample the distillery’s growing range with explanations of the botanicals and origin stories.
• The group stays small: A maximum of 10 people makes it easier to ask questions and hear the guide.
• The guides bring personality: Jake, Danny, and Elliot have each led highly praised sessions, with a style that suits both gin beginners and drinks professionals.
• The visit lasts 1.5 hours: It is long enough for a proper introduction without taking up most of your day in Sheffield.
• The price is reasonable: At $24 per person, the tour combines a building visit, production explanation, and several tastings.

A gin tour inside Sheffield’s stainless steel story

Locksley Distilling Co. is based at Portland Works in the heart of Sheffield. The building opened in 1879 and is Grade 2 listed, giving the tour a sense of place before the first drink is poured.

Portland Works is also associated with the development of stainless steel. That connection matters because it links Locksley’s present-day craft production to Sheffield’s long industrial tradition. You are not visiting a stand-alone tasting room with a generic backdrop. The setting gives the distillery a direct connection to the city’s history of metalworking, invention, and small-scale production.

The building itself is part of the experience, but you should set your expectations correctly. This is a working distillery in an old industrial building, not a large visitor attraction built around displays and polished interpretation panels. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a warm layer. Those are sensible precautions for an older production space.

Meeting your guide at Randall Street

The meeting point takes a little care. Wait outside the gate on the corner of Randall Street, where your guide will come down to let you in. There may not be an obvious sign or display outside, and one person had trouble finding the entrance before making a couple of phone calls.

I would arrive a few minutes early and keep the booking details easy to reach. The lack of external signage is not a flaw in the tour itself, but it can create an awkward start if you are rushing from elsewhere in Sheffield. Once you meet the guide, the welcome is intended to be warm and informal, with the Yorkshire hospitality promised as part of the experience.

The tour runs in English and is limited to 10 participants. That size works well for a distillery visit. You are close enough to see the equipment and hear the explanations, and you can ask about ingredients, production, or the business without trying to compete with a large crowd.

Inside a small-batch distillery

The first part of the visit introduces Locksley’s approach. The company began producing in 2015, and the team has built up 10 years of distilling experience. The stated aim is not to become the biggest distillery, but to make the best products it can while keeping the work focused and small scale.

That ambition gives the tour a useful point of comparison. You learn how a small producer manages the full process and why keeping production in-house matters. The explanation covers how the range is created and made, rather than treating gin as a finished bottle with a mysterious label.

I find this part most useful for anyone who drinks gin but has never thought much about how it is produced. You hear about the choices behind each liquid and gain a clearer sense of why botanicals affect aroma and flavour. The discussion is designed for ordinary drinkers, not only bartenders or spirits specialists. A bartender who joined the tour found there was still much to learn, which suggests the content can stretch beyond the basics without becoming technical for its own sake.

The presentation also includes the story of Locksley’s creation and development. That gives the tasting a better framework. You are not simply trying several gins in isolation. You are hearing how the distillery developed its ideas and how its production goals connect to the bottles in front of you.

The tasting begins with a Locksley G&T

The experience includes a Locksley G&T, described as sunshine in a glass. This is a good opening because it lets you taste the spirit in a familiar serving rather than starting with neat samples alone.

The G&T also gives the guide a chance to discuss how the drink works in practice. You can pay attention to the balance between the gin and mixer, then compare that impression with the later samples. The point is not to turn you into a distiller in 90 minutes. It is to help you notice how different products express their botanical choices.

After the opening drink, the guided tasting moves through the core range and other products available from the distillery. The exact selection can grow as Locksley develops new liquids, so you should expect a changing line-up rather than a fixed museum-style menu.

The guide explains the origin story and botanical choices behind the main products. This is where the small group helps. You can ask why a particular botanical is used, what the distillery was trying to achieve, or how one style differs from another. The tasting is not presented as a test, and you do not need specialist vocabulary. The tone is aimed at people who want to understand a little more while enjoying a few drinks.

Guides who make the information easy to follow

The strongest part of the experience is the guide-led delivery. Jake has been praised for his enthusiasm and for answering questions about gin and other drinks. Danny has led sessions with a friendly, informed manner, and Elliot was described as balancing facts and fun particularly well.

Those names matter because a distillery tour can depend heavily on the person leading it. Here, the guide is not simply reading a script about equipment. The session draws on Sheffield’s local story, Locksley’s development, and the practical choices behind the drinks.

The tone also seems to suit a mixed group. You can come as a gin enthusiast, a curious visitor, or someone who knows very little about distilling. The experience has enough detail to interest a bartender, yet it is not presented as a specialist course. That balance is one of the better reasons to choose this tour over a simple tasting flight.

You may also meet the owners during the visit, although that should not be treated as a guaranteed part of every booking. The small setting makes that kind of personal contact possible, and it fits the company’s hands-on approach.

Why the industrial setting adds value

A gin tasting can be held almost anywhere, so the building needs to offer more than atmosphere. Portland Works does. Its age and connection to stainless steel make the visit specifically Sheffield’s, rather than a repeatable experience that could be moved to any town.

The old building also creates a useful contrast with modern distillation methods. One part of the visit deals with the industrial past of the site, while another looks at how a small modern producer makes its liquids. That meeting of old and new is one of the most interesting themes in the tour.

I would not book this solely as an architectural visit. The building is a setting and a strand of the story, not the entire attraction. The main purpose remains learning about Locksley’s products and tasting them. Still, if you enjoy local industry, craft production, and places with a genuine connection to the city around them, Portland Works makes the experience more memorable.

Is $24 good value?

At $24 per person, the tour is fairly priced for a 90-minute guided experience that includes a welcome G&T and several samples. You are paying for more than the alcohol. The price also covers access to a working distillery, the guide’s time, the company’s story, and the chance to ask questions in a small group.

Value depends on what you want from a tasting. If you only want a large number of drinks, this may not be the best use of your money. The emphasis is on understanding the range, not simply drinking as much as possible. If you like knowing why a gin tastes the way it does, the guided format adds real value.

One attendee received £5 off a bottle of gin after the tour. I would ask about the current arrangement before counting on that saving, since offers can change. Still, buying a bottle gives the visit a natural finish if you find a favourite and want to take it home.

The price also compares well with the time commitment. At 1.5 hours, the tour fits neatly into an afternoon or evening in Sheffield. It gives you a focused activity without taking over an entire day.

Who will enjoy this most?

I would recommend the tour to adults who like independent producers, gin, Sheffield’s industrial past, or friendly small-group activities. It works particularly well for couples, friends, and visitors looking for something beyond the city’s usual sightseeing stops.

Gin beginners should feel comfortable. The session is aimed at the lay person as well as drinks enthusiasts, and the guide explains the botanical choices rather than assuming you already understand them.

People working in bars or hospitality may also get plenty from the visit. The practical insight into production and the attempts made by a small distillery can offer more than a casual tasting.

This is not suitable for children under 18. Everyone attending should bring a passport or ID card, comfortable shoes, and warm clothing. The ID requirement is worth remembering even if you look well over 18, since the experience includes alcohol.

I would be less keen to recommend it to someone who dislikes gin, cannot stand tasting-focused activities, or wants a formal museum tour with extensive written exhibits. The experience is social, guided, and drink-centred.

A few practical points that make the visit smoother

Plan the meeting point before you leave. Since you wait outside the gate on Randall Street and the entrance may not be clearly marked, it is wise to allow extra time and keep a phone available in case you need to contact the distillery.

Dress for comfort rather than style. Comfortable shoes are useful in a working site, and warm clothing is specifically advised. You do not need specialist equipment, but you should bring valid photo identification.

The tour is led in English. If you need another language, this is not the right choice based on the information available. The group maximum is 10, so booking ahead is sensible if you want a particular date or time.

Cancellation is flexible up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Sheffield plans are still shifting. Check the available starting times when booking, since the 1.5-hour duration does not by itself tell you when each session runs.

Should you book the Locksley distillery visit?

I would book this if you want a personal, good-value introduction to Sheffield gin with a real local setting. The combination of Portland Works, the stainless steel connection, small-batch production, and a tasting led by people such as Jake, Danny, or Elliot gives the visit a clear identity.

The tour is especially appealing if you prefer a relaxed explanation to a sales pitch. You learn how the products are made, hear why the botanicals were chosen, and taste the range as part of the story.

Just allow extra time to find the Randall Street gate, dress warmly, and remember that this is an adult tasting in a working historic building. For $24, it offers a useful slice of Sheffield, several drinks, and enough detail to help you choose a bottle with some understanding behind it.

FAQ

Where does the Locksley gin tour take place?

The tour takes place at Locksley Distilling Co. inside Portland Works in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Portland Works is a Grade 2* listed building opened in 1879.

Where is the meeting point?

Wait outside the gate on the corner of Randall Street. Your guide will come down to let you in.

How long does the experience last?

The guided tour and tasting last 1.5 hours.

How much does the experience cost?

The listed price is $24 per person.

How many people can join the tour?

The group is limited to 10 participants.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The live guide conducts the tour in English.

Is a drink included?

Yes. The experience includes a Locksley G&T and a guided tasting of the distillery’s products.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card, comfortable shoes, and warm clothing.

Can children join the tour?

No. The experience is not suitable for children under 18.

Can I cancel my booking?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve now and pay later option is also available.