Scottish gin
Scottish gin has long ceased to be an insider tip. Even though England is generally regarded as the cradle of Gins it is clear that neighbouring Scotland to the north also has a rich selection of gin to offer. In Scotland, there is also the fact that the many whisky distilleries in the Lowlands, Highlands and Islands have the necessary expertise and hardware to produce excellent gin. It is therefore not surprising that Scotland has a diverse whisky industry. We would like to present our five favourite gins from Scotland below.
Hendrick's Gin
Clearly. Hendrick's Gin has to be at the top of the list. Because with Hendrick's Gin, a new era began in 2000. Hendrick's is the pioneer of the New Western Gin style. It marks the departure from the classic juniper dominance that is so self-evident today. Hendrick's Gin focuses on cucumber and rose flavours. The Scottish whisky house William Grant & Sons (including Glenfiddich and Balvenie) is responsible for the gin. Hendrick's Gin is produced at the Girvan Distillery in the Lowlands. A total of eleven botanicals find their way into the distillate.
Tobermory Gin
The Tobermory Distillery has a long history. With its official founding date of 1798, it is one of the oldest legal distilleries in Scotland. However, it was not fortunate enough to be in continuous production. It was repeatedly closed for several years. The Tobermory distillery also realised relatively quickly that producing and selling its own gin would bring in a lot of money. The result is something to be proud of. Not least because new make from whisky production is used in the gin. A total of 13 botanicals are responsible for the rich flavour. Including: Hebridean tea, juniper, heather, elderflower, orange peel and star anise.
Isle of Harris Gin
Behind the Isle of Harris Gin is the Isle of Harris Distillery, which opened for business on the island of the same name in 2015. In addition to gin, whisky is of course also produced here. The Isle of Harris Gin places particular emphasis on the maritime flavour. This is transported into the gin with the help of sugar kelp (brown algae). It is one of the key botanicals. The other eight botanicals are old favourites such as juniper, liquorice, orange peel and coriander. The bottle of the gin attracts particular attention. A scalloped edge emphasises the maritime orientation. Great bottle, great Scottish gin!
Eden Mill Gin
The gin owes its name to a whisky distillery founded at the beginning of the 19th century, which was converted into a paper mill due to a lack of profitability. The great thing about the story is that whisky and gin have been distilled on the site again since 2014. Craft beer brewing began here two years earlier. The distillery is located in the small town of St Andrews. One of the most prestigious universities in the UK and the birthplace of golf. That's why there is also the Eden Mill Golf Gin. In total, there are almost a dozen different gins from the company. The Eden Mill Original Gin with 42 % Alc. is characterised by lemon balm, sea buckthorn, juniper and lots of citrus flavour.
The Botanist Gin
Another legendary Scottish whisky distillery that has dedicated itself to the gin category is the Bruichladdich Distillery on the island of Islay. Bruichladdich is known for producing a wide variety of whisky styles to perfection. Since 2011, The Botanist Gin has been added to the distillery's range. The juniper spirit is distilled on one of the last remaining Lomond stills and contains a total of 31 botanicals. In addition to juniper, menthol, coriander, apple mint and lemon peel, a large number of local plants such as heather, thistle, hawthorn and clover were also chosen.
