Ok, I’ll admit it. I was suffering with wind, and it wasn’t a good look… wait. That doesn’t sound right. Let me start from the top…
Having already fallen asleep during the Broadway masterpiece ‘Les Misrables’, my wife and I made our way to the base of The Empire State Building in a haze of jet lagged excitement. We had been in New York for less than 48 hours and, despite Alfie Boe lulling us in to one of the most expensive naps of my life, we were determined to make the most of every second of our time in ‘The Big Apple’.
Having featured in a number of blockbuster and Oscar nominee classics, including ‘King Kong’, ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ and ‘Elf’, we were excited to be ascending to the top of arguably the worlds most famous Sky Scrapper. And what made this visit even more spectacular was that we were going to experience it at night, to look out at the bright lights of Manhattan in all of their glory.
As I stepped out of the lift, and on to the observation deck, I can still remember the moment; it took my breath away. Literally. And by ‘it’, I mean the sodding gale force wind that almost took me off my feet. The views were great and all that, but when you’re wrestling against a wind so strong that you begin to get a sense of what the paper bag in ‘American Beauty’ felt like, some of the shine is softened. It was safe to say that I was blown away…just not quite in the way that I had expected.
As I slid sideways back towards the inside viewing area, not by choice, I realised that I was beginning to attract a few odd looks. A level of paranoia that was only exacerbated by my wife’s uncontrollable laughter as she readied her camera phone. It was at that moment that I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection of the golden elevator doors… the sight that greeted me can only be described as a combination of Edward Scissor Hands, Sid Viscous and Marv during his electrocution scene in ‘Home Alone 2; Lost in New York’.
It was safe to say that the views of the Manhattan Skyline had come at a personal price, of not looking nice. In retrospect, experiencing wind of the flatulent kind would have probably only been slightly less embarrassing.
Thankfully, with my feet firmly on the ground and wind not an issue (airborne or flatulence) I was waving hello to a sky of a different yet very familiar kind. It was time to be reacquainted with an old friend in Sky Wave Gin. And more specifically the Sky Wave Old Tom.
Sky Wave Gin; An old friend
What can I tell you about Sky Wave Gin that I haven’t already told you before? Well, potentially not all that much! Back in 2021, when I first had the pleasure of getting ‘up close & personal’ with Sky Wave, I waxed lyrical about both their London Dry and Navy Strength outfits.
I gushed about their embarrassment of awards and accolades, which since 2020 has continued to grow, sitting at 82 medals and counting at last check – they were even named ‘Distillery of the Year 2024’ by The Gin Guide.
To supplement my fuller review, I also had the pleasure of sitting down with Sky Wave Gin co-founders Andy Parsons & Rachel Hicks, for an exclusive ‘Meet the Makers’ inside scoop on a brand that was (and is continuing to) making a big name for itself on the ever burgeoning gin scene.
So what’s new in the world of Sky Wave? Alongside the aforementioned growing list of endorsements, Sky Wave comes with a new look – there’s a sleek and slim-lined aesthetic to the bottle, with embossed bells & whistles to boot. It’s a finishing touch that feels well suited to the high calibre liquid that sits within the vessel, and a sign of a brand becoming more established and confident in their product.
Since I last visited, the team have also diversified in to other spirits – notably a vodka and a none alcoholic offering, which Andy dangled as a teaser back in 2021 & has since lived up to his word. The vodka, itself receiving critical acclaim since its launch, sounds particularly exciting to me and would no doubt make for a fun play partner to explore across a range of cocktails. This branching out from their successful starting base is yet another promising sign of the teams business acumen and focus on longevity.
But perhaps most recently, and most fitting to this particular blog, was the brands appearance in The Gin Guide Awards 2025. I was honoured to be making my third appearance as part of The Gin Guide judging panel, this year judging the Traditional, Aged and Old Tom categories. And it was amongst the Old Tom category that I obliviously stumbled across a real gem; the Sky Wave Old Tom.
Sky Wave Old Tom to taste
There’s a really nice approach on the aroma, which is immediately backed up by the taste; I get clove studded orange and a hefty weight of ripe & oil rich juniper – it’s like licking a forest floor and chowing down on a pinecone in the best possible way.
Subtle suggestions of smoke accompany the tasting, with a luxuriously smooth mouthfeel akin to a liqueur. There is just enough sting on the tongue to let you know you’re sampling something very grown up, whilst the finish is refined and accomplished, leaving the flavours to evolve on the back of the throat.
It almost seems a shame to have to add a mixer to the equation – but I don’t dislike the addition of tonic at all. I could drink this as a longer serve, over ice, on a summers day any day of the week and be a very happy little gin blogger indeed.
The judging feedback demands commentary on how gin entries ‘could score higher with…’. But honestly? Very little. This is a fantastic gin. Maybe more juniper? But then I always say that. Meh, do it anyway, you know…just to be safe. Also, a slight upping of the ABV could make for a lot of fun. But I’m nitpicking at this point, in a gin that I already scored as 94/100 and ‘Exceptional’ (in so many ways), contributing to yet another award winner for team Sky Wave.
This really is everything you want to see in an Old Tom.
Sky Wave Gin; Blown away (again)
Whilst I am a big fan of the Sky Wave team, it’s important to remember that The Gin Guide Awards are judged blind and all entries are made anonymously. Andy had explained to me back in 2021 that “Sky Wave exclusively enter competitions of the highest calibre that are blind tasted, ensuring that the gin is left naked and to be judged solely on its taste and the quality of the product.”
And he’s absolutely right – I see it as a glowing endorsement of the product and my previous view points, that the gin is able to standout from the crowd so clearly without needing to parade a brand name or lean on its previous successes. Truly remarkable.
So what does the future hold for Sky Wave? It would be easy for me to rollout the ‘Skys the limit’ puns (trust me – I did so multiple times in the original write ups), but it does feel very apt here. The medals, the diversification and the onsite Gin School & Bottle Shop are clear examples that the team are here for the long term. I’m certain that we’ll continue to see growth and creativity on full show. And if the movement in to wider corners of the spirits world is a sign of ‘things to come’, I do wonder if a whiskey (or similar) could be a natural next step for Andy & Rachel – the passage of time alone would suggest that the timing and years would be about right (if it were to be in the thinking). Beyond that, could a step in to a broader retail landscape ever be in the strategy? Though the smaller craft loving sentimental part of me quite likes that we’re not in that territory. Yet.
I said it in 2021, and I’ll say it again; ‘watch this space’. There’s more to come from Sky Wave. And I’m here for it.
An important message
You will have no doubt heard about the fire at Bicester Motion, Oxfordshire, on Thursday 15th May 2025, where several people sadly lost their lives. As the shared home of Sky Wave Distillery (where thankfully no damage or harm was done to any of the team) this comes as devastating news.
Our thoughts remain with the families of those lost, and the injured firefighters in hospital.
Contact us
With thanks to Andy Parsons & Rachel Hicks of Sky Wave Gin – not for samples this time around, but for just being genuinely awesome! Make sure you keep up to date with their exciting next steps on their website and across social media!
Instagram: @skywavegin_
Twitter: @SkyWaveGin
Facebook: SkyWaveGin
Website: https://www.skywavegin.com
And don’t forget to stop by @theginshelf across all social media platforms for more blogs & event updates. Stop by, say ‘Hi’ & chat gin!
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