The gin magicians at Hooting Owl distillery believe they have THE most haunted distillery in the UK.

In its previous life, the building where Hooting Owl distills its gins was a public house and historic coaching inn, and the regular, ominous night time activity on site has been attributed to the centuries of colourful landlords and patrons that have passed through its doors.

The Yorkshire establishment attracted its fair share of trade during the 1800s, and it seems some guests are less than keen to leave! The outbuildings, where the current copper stills are housed, are reported to be particularly lively at night, with whispering voices and footsteps regularly heard across the old Yorkshire stone floors, and the distillery isn’t short on spooky sightings.

Said to be the ghost of a former landlord called Joseph, a red-haired apparition regularly emerges around the distillery. Old Joe, as he’s fondly referred to, often paces through the distillery as though making checks, paying particular interest to the distillery’s artisan gin making. He will flash a wry, cheeky smile at anyone who has the pleasure of making his acquaintance, before disappearing into thin air.

More chillingly, the spectre of the young Barmby Coachman can often be seen tramping back and forth and murmuring incoherently. The man is believed to have left his tired horses at the inn after changing them during a gruelling winter journey over ‘The Black Moor’ from York. Having lost his life in a duel of love before he could return, he is said to frantically search one of the rooms at Barmby Moor House, having come back to claim his horses.

In what is now a storeroom, the Barmby Coachman occupies the most haunted part of the distillery, plagued by disruptive paranormal activity, the room is used to store its Blackcurrant & Liquorice Gin - could this be haunted gin?

Dominic M'Benga, owner of Hooting Owl says, “If there’s a more haunted distillery I haven’t heard of it! It can get exceptionally eerie at night in that room and the bottles do seem to have a habit of moving around!"

“ If there was ever a haunted gin, our Batilicious Gin is it! Not only has it been distilled under the watchful eye of Old Joe, we also chose to store it in the most haunted part of the distillery, even though none of us like to have to go in there too often. Hence it being limited edition!”