Black Pine Whisky

Oxford Botanic Garden is delighted to be collaborating with The Oxford Artisan Distillery to create a limited edition whisky inspired by one of the Garden's most iconic trees, the Black Pine.

In 2014 Oxford Botanic Garden’s historic Black Pine split in two and the entire tree had to be felled.

"The tree, possibly as old as 215 years, has been totemic in Oxford for its associations to JRR Tolkien, who sat and wrote beneath its branches, creating his Ents (giant talking trees) in response to its whirl-patterned bark." - Emma Townshend, The Independent

Oxford Botanic Garden kept and seasoned the wood from the felled tree, using it to create 30 exclusive numbered commemorative boxes for Black Pine Whisky, a limited edition rye whisky created in collaboration with The Oxford Artisan Distillery. This will be the second collaboration between the Garden and the Distillery, having created Oxford Physic Gin together in 2018, inspired by the Garden's collections.

"We are delighted to be partnering with The Oxford Artisan Distillery on this unique project to celebrate our anniversary and the legendary Black Pine which was an iconic feature of the Garden for so many years. We are excited to be launching this limited edition whisky along with unique boxes and coasters crafted from wood of the Black Pine – better known as Tolkien's Pine...it was important to us that the project included local artisans and craftspeople and we have worked hard to create the ideal whisky gift to remember this famous tree in our 400th anniversary celebrations."
- Professor Simon Hiscock, Director of the Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum

About The Oxford Artisan Distillery

The Oxford Artisan Distillery, Oxford's first ever distillery, produces whisky with total provenance from grain to glass. The traditional grains for this whisky grew true and tall in fields surrounding Oxford. The distillery uses biodiverse populations of heritage grains grown through a new approach to grain farming known as Restorative Continuous Grain Cropping (R-CGC). Requiring no pesticides or fertilisers, these grains support soil health, biodiversity and the restoration of our ecosystems. The whisky is distilled into copper stills designed and built with the help of steam engine boiler-maker Paul Pridham and artisans and engineers from South Devon Railway Engineering.

The Ballot

A limited run of 30 bottles encased in boxes made from the Tolkien Pine's wood, handcrafted by the Sylva Foundation.
These were sold by ballot from 8 September 2023 and included a commemorative booklet and a limited edition print of the Black Pine created by Stanley Donwood. The ballot closed on 22 September (Hobbit Day).

The Plinth Bottles

An additional 370 bottles are available to purchase from the Oxford Botanic Garden shop and online from The Oxford Artisan Distillery. They include a coaster made from Tolkien's Pine, and are sold in a white presentation box featuring Stanley Donwood's illustration of the Black Pine.

Click here to purchase online

The Black Pine

The legendary Black Pine (Pinus nigra) grew at Oxford Botanic Garden from the early 1800s until 2014 when it tragically shed two large branches and needed to be felled. The magnificent pine was the favourite tree of JRR Tolkien, who visited the Garden regularly. On 8 June 2021, to mark the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Botanic Garden, HRH King Charles III planted a new Black Pine raised from a seed from the original tree.

The Whisky

This rye whisky, a speciality of The Oxford Artisan Distillery, has been created to celebrate the Garden’s 400th anniversary and pay tribute to this legendary tree. Distilled from heritage grains grown exclusively for the distillery, mostly within 50 miles of Oxford, Black Pine Whisky is an ode to the essence of a pine forest. Fruity and woody, the complexity of the wood character shines through with hints of mint, pepper and cedar smoke.

The Label

The Black Pine illustration for the label has been created by renowned Oxford illustrator, Stanley Donwood. Since 1994, he has created all the artwork for the band Radiohead with singer Thom Yorke.

The label and accompanying booklet have been printed by Oxford-based letterpress printer Richard Lawrence, known for his collaborations with artists and designers to create highly distinctive work.

The Woodwork

The revered wood of the Black Pine was expertly crafted into commemorative boxes by Sylva Foundation’s Wood School.

Sylva Foundation’s Wood School was created to support a revival of Britain’s wood culture through excellence in creativity and craftsmanship using home-grown timber, stimulating innovation in design and supporting the next generation of designers and makers.