Sheffield: Gin Distillery Tasting Visit with Guided Tour

Good gin needs a good story. This small-group visit at Locksley Distilling Co. brings you into Portland Works, a Grade II listed Sheffield building opened in 1879 and known as the home of stainless steel. I like the mix of local industrial history and hands-on distilling, and I also like the generous tasting session, which covers the distillery’s growing range rather than stopping at one token sample. The main drawback is the meeting point: the distillery is behind a gate on Randall Street, and it can be hard to spot from outside.

The 90-minute tour feels personal because groups are limited to 10 people. Guides such as Jake, Danny, and Elliot have been praised for their enthusiasm and easy delivery, making this a good choice even if you know little about gin. You should wear warm clothing and comfortable shoes, and remember that this is an adults-only activity.

In This Review

• Key points to know before you go
• Why Portland Works is part of the experience
• Meeting the team at the Randall Street gate
• The opening Locksley G&T
• Inside a small-batch Sheffield distillery
• The tasting: comparing botanicals and house styles
• Sheffield industrial history without a separate museum visit
• How the 90 minutes is likely to flow
• Is $24 good value?
• Who will enjoy this distillery visit?
• What could be better?
• Should you book the Locksley Distilling tour?
• FAQ
• Where does the Sheffield gin distillery tour take place?
• Where is the meeting point?
• How long does the visit last?
• How much does the experience cost?
• What is included in the visit?
• How many people are in each group?
• What language is the tour in?
• Can children take part?
• What should I bring?

Key points to know before you go

• Portland Works gives the tasting a Sheffield identity: You visit the former home of stainless steel, not a generic bar or modern visitor center.
• The group limit is 10 people: That keeps the tour intimate and gives you a better chance to ask questions.
• You taste the full Locksley range: The session covers the origin and botanical choices behind the core products, with additional samples possible as the range grows.
• The visit lasts 1.5 hours: That is enough time for a guided walk-through, distilling explanation, local history, and several drinks without taking up your whole evening.
• A G&T is included at the start: Your visit begins with a Locksley G&T described by the distillery as sunshine in a glass.
• Finding the entrance takes care: Wait outside the gate at the corner of Randall Street. Your guide comes down to let you in.

Why Portland Works is part of the experience

Locksley Distilling Co. operates in Portland Works, a remarkable Sheffield building dating from 1879. The site is Grade II listed and has a strong connection to the city’s industrial past, including the development of stainless steel.

That setting gives the tour more character than a simple tasting room. You are not only learning about juniper, botanicals, and distillation. You are also seeing a place tied to the city’s metalworking story, where old industrial surroundings meet a newer craft drinks business.

The distillery began creating and producing here in 2015. Its team has now built up 10 years of experience, while keeping the operation small and focused. I like that tension. The aim is not to become the biggest producer. The stated goal is to make the best possible products and keep the work close to home.

You should not expect a large factory with rows of machinery and a long public route. This is a small operation, and that is the point. The visit gives you a closer look at how a dedicated team works, with an emphasis on keeping each part of production in-house.

Meeting the team at the Randall Street gate

The practical detail most worth knowing is also the easiest to miss. You wait outside the gate on the corner of Randall Street, and your guide comes down to let you in.

The entrance may not be clearly marked from the street. One visitor had trouble finding the site and needed a couple of phone calls before being met outside. The reason is that the distillery cannot put signs or other items outside for insurance reasons.

I would arrive a little early and keep your phone handy. Do not assume you have reached the wrong place simply because the entrance looks quiet. The guide will come out for you.

Once inside, the welcome is warm and distinctly Yorkshire. That matters here because the whole visit depends on conversation. The small group, friendly hosts, and informal setting help the tour feel more like a visit to a working craft business than a formal museum presentation.

The opening Locksley G&T

The experience includes a Locksley G&T at the outset. It gives you an immediate sense of the distillery’s style before the technical explanation begins.

Starting with a mixed drink is a smart choice. Gin can be difficult to assess if you are handed a series of neat samples without context. A G&T lets you enjoy the spirit in a familiar format, while the later tasting gives you a chance to compare the individual products more carefully.

The phrase sunshine in a glass comes from the distillery itself, and it fits the role of the opening drink. You are here for pleasure as much as information. The drink sets an informal tone before you move into the production side of the visit.

Because the tour includes several samples, pace yourself. The session is designed to be enjoyed over 90 minutes, not rushed through in the first 15. If you are driving, arrange another way home.

Inside a small-batch Sheffield distillery

The guided tour explains how Locksley creates its products and why the team keeps production in-house. That phrase is important. It means the visit is not just a branding talk about a finished bottle. You get an account of the work behind the liquid and the choices that shape it.

You will learn about the distillery’s creation and development since 2015, along with its wider ambitions. The tour also connects those ambitions with the building around you, linking a modern artisan drinks business to Sheffield’s tradition of making things locally.

I would expect the technical material to be pitched at ordinary drinkers rather than industry specialists. Jake’s tour, for example, was praised for explaining gin and other subjects in a way that worked for people who simply wanted to understand more and enjoy a few tipples. A bartender also found plenty to learn, which suggests the content can satisfy both newcomers and people who already know the basics.

The guides named in the feedback include Jake, Danny, and Elliot. Danny was praised for a friendly approach and strong subject knowledge. Jake was described as passionate, enthusiastic, and able to answer questions about gin and much else besides. Elliot was remembered for balancing facts and fun.

Those details tell you something useful about the format. This is not meant to be a stiff lecture. The delivery is conversational, and the best part may be the chance to ask about the things that interest you, from botanical choices to the distillery’s experiments.

The tasting: comparing botanicals and house styles

The tasting is the heart of the visit. You work through the core range and learn the origin story behind each product, including why particular botanicals were chosen.

That background makes the samples more useful. Rather than judging each gin as a separate drink, you can connect the flavor to the decisions made during production. You may find that one botanical gives a bright note, another adds spice, and another changes the finish. The exact products available can change as the range grows, so the tasting is not necessarily identical on every date.

Several samples are included, not just the opening G&T. The amount has been described as generous, and the range includes special brews as well as the regular products. If you find a favorite, bottles are available to buy afterward. A £5 discount on bottles has been associated with the visit, though I would confirm the current terms before counting on it.

This shop opportunity adds value, especially if you are visiting from outside Sheffield and want to take home something local. One visitor bought a bottle and wished they had bought more, which is a useful warning if you already suspect you will want a souvenir.

Still, the tasting is not a substitute for a full evening at a cocktail bar. The focus is on learning about the liquids and sampling them, not on a long menu of mixed drinks. If your main goal is elaborate cocktails, this may feel limited. If you want to understand how a local distillery makes its gin, it is much better suited.

Sheffield industrial history without a separate museum visit

The Portland Works setting gives the tour a second subject beyond gin. You learn about the building and its part in Sheffield’s industrial development, including its link to stainless steel.

That local connection was a major highlight for several people. The point is not simply that the building is old. It helps explain why Sheffield is a fitting home for a business built around making, testing, and refining a product.

I like this kind of added context because it avoids treating the distillery as an isolated attraction. You get a compact view of Sheffield’s past and present in one visit: nineteenth-century manufacturing space, followed by small-batch spirit production in the same city.

The building may appeal most to visitors who enjoy places with working histories rather than polished attractions. The trade-off is that historic industrial premises can feel cool, plain, or uneven underfoot. That is why warm clothing and comfortable shoes are specifically recommended.

How the 90 minutes is likely to flow

The visit is short enough to fit into an evening in Sheffield, but it has several parts. You begin with the welcome and the Locksley G&T, then move into an intimate tour of the distillery.

The middle section covers how the products are made, the decision to keep production in-house, and the story of Locksley Distilling since its creation. The guide also brings in Portland Works and the building’s industrial past.

The final part is the guided tasting. You sample the core range and hear about the botanicals and inspiration behind it. Depending on the group and the questions asked, the balance between history, production, and tasting may vary slightly.

That flexibility is a strength. A small group lets the guide respond to the people in front of them. It also means the experience may feel less scripted than a large commercial tour. If you prefer a tightly timed presentation with every minute fixed, you might notice that informality.

The 90-minute length is well judged for a tasting. You get enough explanation to make the drinks meaningful, but you are not committed to a half-day activity. It works well before dinner or as an evening plan in central Sheffield.

Is $24 good value?

At $24 per person, this is good value for a 1.5-hour small-group experience, especially with the welcome G&T, guided tour, local history, and several tastings included.

The group limit of 10 is important when judging the price. You are paying for more than drinks. You are also getting access to a working distillery, direct explanation from the team, and a format that allows questions.

The value is strongest if you enjoy learning how products are made. If you only want to drink gin, you could spend less at a bar. But a bar will not give you the Portland Works setting, the production story, or the chance to compare a local producer’s core range in one sitting.

The possible bottle discount can make the outing even better value if you plan to buy something afterward. Treat that as a useful extra rather than a guaranteed part of the price until you confirm it at booking.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time also reduces the risk of booking ahead. The reserve-now, pay-later option gives you some flexibility when building a Sheffield itinerary.

Who will enjoy this distillery visit?

I would recommend it to gin drinkers who want more than a tasting flight. You will get the most from it if you enjoy hearing why a producer chooses particular ingredients and how a small business develops its range.

It also suits:

• Couples looking for an evening activity
• Friends who enjoy craft drinks
• Sheffield visitors interested in industrial history
• Bartenders and spirits fans who want to compare products
• People who prefer small groups to large scheduled tours

The adults-only rule is clear: nobody under 18 can take part. This is not a family activity, even if a child is interested in the building or local history.

You should also be comfortable standing and walking around a working historic building. Warm clothes and sensible shoes are a good idea. The supplied information does not describe special access arrangements, so contact the provider directly if you have access needs.

What could be better?

The entrance is the clearest weakness. Portland Works may be easy to recognize once you are inside, but the gate on Randall Street is not necessarily obvious, and insurance rules prevent the team from placing signs outside.

The experience is also built around a small operation. That gives you personal contact, but it may not offer the spectacle of a major distillery with a large production floor. If you expect towering stills, a long visitor route, or a major retail area, adjust your expectations.

The product range is described as ever growing. That is exciting, but it also means the exact tasting lineup can change. You should book for the chance to explore Locksley’s current range, not for a fixed menu of named bottles.

Finally, you need to plan your transport responsibly. The experience includes multiple alcoholic samples, and the supplied details do not indicate parking or public transport arrangements. Check your route before arriving.

Should you book the Locksley Distilling tour?

Yes, if you want a friendly, local, small-scale gin experience with real Sheffield character. The mix of Portland Works, in-house production, guided tasting, and enthusiastic guides gives the visit more substance than a quick drink and a sales pitch.

Book it if you value direct contact with makers and want to taste across a range of products. Skip it if you are under 18, want elaborate cocktails, or prefer a large visitor attraction with a highly polished setup.

For the best experience, arrive early at the Randall Street gate, wear warm comfortable clothing, and leave enough time to enjoy the samples without rushing. At $24, this is an easy recommendation for an evening in Sheffield, particularly for anyone curious about how local gin is made.

FAQ

Where does the Sheffield gin distillery tour take place?

The tour takes place at Locksley Distilling Co. inside Portland Works in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. Portland Works is a Grade II* 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 visit last?

The guided distillery visit and tasting last 1.5 hours.

How much does the experience cost?

The listed price is $24 per person.

What is included in the visit?

You receive a Locksley G&T, an intimate guided tour, an explanation of the distillery’s history and production methods, and a guided tasting of the core range.

How many people are in each group?

The activity is limited to 10 participants, making it a small-group experience.

What language is the tour in?

The live tour guide speaks English, and English is the available tour language.

Can children take part?

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

What should I bring?

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