Vessel

Broken Clock’s unique bottle is as much a part of the ritual of enjoying our lingering spirit as the vodka inside it.

Just as the liquid itself has a recipe which is distinctive and characterful, the inspiration for its vessel also needed to be suitably out of the ordinary. As fate would have it, it was in Cheshire near to where Broken Clock is distilled that we came across this curious antique bottle.

The traditionally moulded glass is weighty, satisfy to wield and bears the name of Robert Gibson and Sons whose 19th century factory was nearby on the edge of Manchester.

Gibson was born in 1832 and moved from the quiet, leafy village of Sutton-on-Trent to burgeoning industrial city of Manchester to become a chemist’s apprentice aged 18.

Having made his mark with a successful chemist’s firm he built up his own business making medical lozenges, cough pastilles, chocolate worm cakes and even a brand of vermin killer.

If that weren’t enough strings to this impressive gentleman’s bow, Gibson was also one of the oldest members of Manchester City Council, was handed the title of Alderman for his long service and even enjoyed a stint as Lord Mayor in 1897.

But it’s perhaps for his humble lozenges that he is still best known and bottles like our old one are now highly collectible the World over.

And while Broken Clock’s bottle is early in its existence it has already made a name for itself. Last year before we had even filled our first vessel with vodka it won a medal in the Harper’s Design Awards, the only vodka to do so out of 91 awardees.