They say you never forget a great teacher, but I never expected to find mine again in a quiet corner of the New Forest.
Years ago, I was a French student staying with a educational group at the Castle Hotel in Tamworth. I remember the high energy of the “Vodka Bar” and a larger-than-life owner named Tim who had recently achieved a 32 day World Record for karaoke. But what stuck with me most wasn’t the singing world record that took 32 days of his life but the masterclass lecture he gave our group on the world of vodka.
Fast forward to today, and I’m staying at the South Lawn Hotel in Milford on Sea. As my girlfriend Charlie and the two other couples we are celebrating our joint 30th birthday with settled into our stunning 3 bedroom 100-square-metre suite I realised the man at the helm of South Lawn could very well be my masterclass Vodka lecturer from all those years ago, the very same Tim Wedgwood.
On our first evening we had booked a private Teppanyaki Chef to perform in our suite which had a huge kitchen with an island big enough for all six of us to dine around whilst Chef Koji entertained us. It was Tim that had helped the chef set up for the evening and I had chance to catch up with him, of course I asked if he still did his legendary lecture on Vodka and what were the chances of booking him for a refresher! Charlie had heard me talk about Tims Vodka lecture on many occasions. So you can imagine Charlie and our other friends were absolutely delighted when Tim agreed to create an evening for us focused around his Vodka lecture.
The Return of the Masterclass, a global tour
Last night, our unexpected evening Tim took the six of us on a 10 bottle global odyssey. This wasn’t just a tasting it was a refined, relaxed masterclass held right at our own kitchen island in the suite. We tasted every single one neat, using glasses of fresh orange juice as a side to cleanse the palate and balance the spirits.
Tim’s descriptions brought every bottle to life, here’s a few that I can remember from last night!
The “Hands-On” Secret to Tasting
One of the most “Tim” moments of the night was his trick for truly experiencing Żubrówka (Bison Grass vodka). He had us pour a small amount into our palms and rub our hands together vigorously. As the alcohol evaporated, we were left with the incredible, sweet aroma of woodruff and almond from the hand-placed blade of grass. It was a wonderful sensory experience that hit just as hard today as it did years ago.
But it wasn’t just about the Vodka
The Perfect Pairing: Traditional Zakuski
You cannot drink like a pro without eating like one. Tim paired our 10 rounds with a traditional spread of Zakuski (snacks) that felt like a nod to his Park Lane pedigree:
Why South Lawn is Different
It’s rare to find a hotel where the owner is so “at the top of their game” that they can pivot from managing a luxury estate to hosting an intimate, expert-led evening for a single group. There are no loud wedding DJs here, no “traffic mayhem”—just exceptional tech, massive suites, and the kind of personal passion you only get from an independent owner.
Dear Tim
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. Hosting all six of us at our kitchen island made for a truly fantastic evening. The 10th vodka tasted even better than the first one did 15 years ago. We had a fantastic evening and a superb stay at Yours and Nikkis wonderful New Forest hotel. X
