St Helena Distillery

The distillery above Jamestown works with what the island produces: Tungi, a spirit distilled from the fruit of the prickly pear that grows wild across the dry ground, along with a coffee liqueur made from St Helena coffee, which is grown from Green Tipped Bourbon Arabica brought from Yemen in 1733 and has become one of the most expensive coffees traded. It is a very small operation and visits need arranging.

What you actually see

• The Tungi spirit - distilled from wild prickly pear fruit gathered on the island.
• The coffee liqueur - made from the island's own arabica.
• The 1733 coffee - the Yemeni stock the island's plants descend from.
• The scale - a very small operation working with local raw material.

When to go

Year round; visits must be arranged rather than turned up for. Prickly pear fruit is gathered seasonally. The distillery keeps informal hours.

Honest expectations

It is a very small operation and there is no formal tour. Visits must be arranged in advance. Production is limited and stock runs out.

Nearby

Jamestown is below, and the Briars Pavilion is nearby.