Pocketful of Stones Distillery: Penzance, Cornwall

Pocketful of Stones is an independent distillery and hospitality business based in West Cornwall, with its home in Penzance. It started as a small-batch gin producer and now makes whisky, rum and absinthe as well.

Founding and people

Rise and Shine, a South West hospitality news site, reports that Pocketful of Stones was founded in 2016. Co-founder Mike Cunliffe describes it as beginning with four bartenders who shared a passion for good spirits.

Range

As of August 2026 the distillery makes 23 products across eight spirit categories. The products named in that report include Dr Squid Gin, Hell's Stone Whisky, King of Prussia Spiced Rum and Morveren Absinthe. Its flagship small-batch Cornish dry gin is Caspyn. Each bottle is inspired by Cornish folklore and the landscape around the distillery.

Mike Cunliffe names launching the first whisky and creating the Hell's Stone brand among the highlights of the first ten years.

Growth

The business opened a bar in Penzance in 2022 and a shop in Falmouth in 2024. In February 2026 it took on the Red Lion pub in Newlyn. It employs 30 people across its venues.

The same report says more than 300,000 pounds was invested over 18 months in new stills, raising production capacity more than fourfold. The original large stills played a part in Penzance's Town of Culture bid, and the smaller stills are used for product development and limited editions.

For its tenth anniversary in September 2026 it released a limited edition Caspyn Ten, with a birthday party on 27 September at its bar on Causewayhead in Penzance. The report adds that it has exported to countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Hungary.

Further reading

Official website: pocketfulofstones.com

Source: Rise and Shine, Pocketful of Stones toasts to 10 years (28 August 2026).