The Story

Clouded Leopard gin, launched in 2019, is the brainchild of chef and gastropub owner Will Phillips, who set about creating his own gin brand in honour and support of the clouded leopard, a beautiful and elusive animal in grave danger of extinction and rarely seen in the wild.

As a lover of both gin and wildlife – in particular cats, big and small – Will was inspired to use his expertise in combining delectable tastes to create this premium full-flavoured gin, while helping to save a magnificent animal. Fifteen per cent of profits from every bottle sold is donated to the Born Free Foundation, which works to protect leopards from the threats they face in the wild and rescues them from lives of misery and exploitation in captivity by rehoming them in spacious sanctuaries surrounded by their natural habitat.

Besides being an enthusiastic gin drinker, Will is well versed in what ingredients marry well together, having worked in the food sector for many years. He started experimenting with different botanicals during a summer heatwave, a climate similar to India and Southern Asia. The quality and provenance of the core ingredients was key, so he started playing with fruits such as mangos, and black pepper sourced from Southeast Asia, the home of the clouded leopard. 

The signature Clouded Leopard bottle and packaging were designed by Sarah Rock. The cat illustration is by Jonathan Gibbs (www.jonathangibbs.com), created with a traditional screen-printing technique.