The idea for Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery came about after Alec Stirling, also known as AK, asked his sons John, Iain, and David to explore new opportunities to diversify the family farm in 2012. The family farm, located on Scotland’s east coast in Angus, had been in the family for generations. Hence, the Stirling brothers knew whatever they did had to be sustainable, create employment, and leave a legacy for future generations.
For several years, the Arbikie farm supplied potatoes, wheat, and barley to various clients, including food producers and supermarkets. These clients also had strict criteria, so any crop deemed unusable, such as ‘wonky potatoes,’ would typically be discarded and used for animal feed or fertiliser. John, Iain, and David recognised that they had natural raw materials on the farm needed to create distilled spirits. The farm also had ample land for building a new distillery.
Construction of the first phase of the distillery began in 2013 with the renovation and conversion of a former cattle barn. Kirsty Black, a graduate of the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) at Heriot-Watt University, was brought in to manage the distillery project, including overseeing the design and sourcing of stills and equipment. Her background before the world of distillation and brewing was working as a Quality Engineer for several different companies, helping them improve supply chains and maintaining and improving quality in manufacturing, including food and drink.
The distillery was equipped with a 4,000-litre wash still, a 2,400-litre spirit still, and a 40-plate rectification column from the renowned German still manufacturer Carl. This setup would allow the creation of a variety of neutral grain spirits that would form the DNA of the spirits produced at the distillery. Kirsty was eventually offered the role of Head Distiller in 2014 when the distillery officially opened its doors.
John, Iain, David, and Kirsty’s goal was for the distillery to become a true pioneer in the world of grain-to-glass spirits thanks to Arbikie’s unique field-to-bottle ethos. They knew that growing the types and quantities of botanicals needed in commercial gin production would be challenging. However, with one eye on the future, a thousand juniper plants were planted around the estate, with the plan to plant 10,000 more juniper plants over the next 10 years. The farm team also constructed several new polytunnels where some of the core gin botanicals could be tested and grown, including coriander seed, orris root, angelica root and more.
One of Arbikie’s notable early achievements was the launch of their Tattie Bogle Vodka in 2015, a world first. This vodka is made from ‘wonky potatoes’—those rejected by supermarkets—resulting in a clean, odourless spirit that serves as the perfect base for Arbikie’s signature Scottish Gin, aptly named ‘Kirsty’s Gin’ in honour of its creator, Kirsty Black. Officially launched in June 2015, Kirsty’s Gin blends a range of classic gin botanicals with three unique Scottish botanicals: blaeberries, carline thistle, and kelp.
In early 2017, the Arbikie team introduced a second Scottish Gin, AK’s Gin, named in tribute to Sandy Stirling, the father of the Stirling brothers, whose nickname was AK. This gin combines classic and Scottish botanicals, using Arbikie’s potato-based spirit. The distillery team has since developed several new spirits, including the first Scottish rye whisky produced in over 200 years and a passion project for Kirsty that mixed the art of distillation with the science of distillation, the world’s first carbon-positive gin, Nàdar Gin, which uses a pea-based spirit. The distillery team has continued to grow with the addition of Christian Perez and Dave McKay.
The second phase of the distillery was completed in 2022, with the addition of a shop, cafe, bar, and restaurant. The Arbkie team also added a variety of visitor experiences, including distillery tours and tasting events. Luxury guest lodges were also built on the estate in 2023 so guests could visit, enjoy Arbikie hospitality, and retreat to a comfy bed with stunning views over Lunan Bay.
The Stirling brothers’ commitment to sustainability has informed every decision since the distillery opened its doors over a decade ago. They have added a 1MW wind turbine that will eventually power an electrolyser. This unique piece of equipment splits water into hydrogen and oxygen, with the hydrogen filtered off to provide and will provide a source of energy for the distillery and, once again, a world first. A large solar panel array was fitted to the distillery’s roof, providing additional green energy. Byproducts from the distillation process are provided to the neighbour’s farm as feed for the cattle, whilst some of the leftover byproducts are transformed into natural fertiliser.
The Stirling brothers have also continued to invest in the Arbikie Highland Estate, with several new wildflower sites planted and established. These sites each year provide abundant flowers for pollinating insects like bees and butterflies. They are also rewilding the hedgerows that crisscross the estate, providing vital habitats for local wildlife. Arbikie Distillery thanks to the combined efforts of the Stirling Brothers’ and Kirsty Black, who is now a Master Distiller, is well on its way to becoming a fully sustainable distillery with a closed-loop system, which minimises waste and will set the gold standard for what a sustainable and environmentally focused distillery and business can achieve.
Kirsty’s Gin from Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery is the signature Scottish Gin. It features a unique base spirit made exclusively in-house at the distillery derived from potatoes grown on the Arbikie farm. Botanicals featured in Kirsty’s Gin include several locally grown or foraged to invoke the aromas and flavours of the local landscape.
The four key botanicals include blaeberries, often described as a Scottish blueberry, carline thistle, sea kelp and water mint, balanced with several classic gin botanicals, including angelica root, coriander seed, juniper, liquorice root and orris root.
On the nose, rich and piney notes blend with fresh herbs. On the palate, juniper leads balanced with savoury herbs and an ocean freshness, transitioning to a restrained and balanced berry sweetness. The long, lingering finish develops from earthy, herbal undertones to a fresh, clean, and crisp finish with savoury coastal notes.
Key Botanical(s): Blaeberries, Carline Thistle, Sea Kelp
Gin Style: Distilled Scottish Gin
Strength: 43% ABV
Goes great with: A handful of blueberries, a squeeze of lemon juice, tonic and ice.
AK’s Gin from Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery features a unique base spirit made exclusively in-house at the distillery derived from wheat grown on the Arbikie farm. Alexander Stirling chose the carefully selected botanicals featured in AK’s Gin. Alexander, father to Iain, John and David Stirling, the co-founders of Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery, was known as AK by family and friends.
AK chose botanicals that reflected the local landscape and brought back memories of his time on the family farm. The key botanicals include black pepper, cardamom, juniper and honey.
On the nose, resinous juniper blends with a subtle sweet floral note with hints of citrus and spice. On the palate, piney juniper melds with warming, sweet spices and some citrus notes. The honey imparts a slight sweetness across the palate, and the delicate undertones of the wheat-based spirit add complexity. The finish is long and warming with balanced notes of juniper, aromatic spices and some sweetness.
Key Botanical(s): Black Pepper, Cardamom, Scottish Honey (Angus)
Gin Style: London Dry Scottish Gin
Strength: 43% ABV
Goes great with: A twist of orange peel, sprig of fresh thyme, tonic and ice.
Nàdar Gin is the world’s first carbon neutral, climate negative gin with a carbon footprint of -1.54 kg CO2e per 700ml bottle. Five years of research have gone into creating this unique and original sustainable Scottish Gin by head distiller Kirsty Black and her PhD studentship between Abertay University and The James Hutton Institute. The unique gin is made using a spirit distilled from peas, which need no synthetic nitrogen fertiliser to grow, unlike traditional crops used for creating a base alcohol spirit. The benefits of the humble pea are many, including improved soil quality, resulting in better growth and more efficient crops.
Botanicals include angelica root, coriander seeds, juniper, lemongrass, liquorice root, markut lime leaf, markut lime peels, orange peels and orris root.
On the nose, piney juniper, bright and bold citrus. On the palate, bold and zingy citrus up front layered with some earthy, herbaceous, umami, and savoury undertones balanced with spice. The finish is long and refreshing, with lingering citrus hints, herbaceous notes, and warming spices. The pea-derived base spirit adds a creamy, velvety mouthfeel.
Key Botanical(s): Lemongrass, Markut Lime Leaf, Markut Lime Peel
Gin Style: London Dry Scottish Gin
Strength: 43% ABV
Goes great with: A slice of fresh ginger or lime, tonic and ice.
AK's Gin: Commemorative Limited Edition from Arbikie Highland Distillery is a limited edition cask aged Scottish Gin and is a tribute to Alexander Stirling, marking what would have been his 90th birthday. Known as AK by family and friends, father to Iain, John and David Stirling, the co-founders of Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery, AK played a pivotal role in establishing the farming foundations on which his sons have built the Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery.
In August 2017, the Arbikie distillery team filled an oloroso sherry butt filled with AK's Gin and then left to age for seven years, seven months and twenty-one days. The oloroso sherry butt has imbued the original AK's Gin with additional layers of aroma, flavour and complexity, creating a unique and original Scottish Gin profile.
On the nose, complex hints of piney juniper, citrus, and spices are married with notes of wood, earth, nuts, and herbs, underpinned by the distinct notes of sweet, vibrant sherry. On the palate, resinous juniper marries with warming spices and herbs, complex hints of nuts and dried fruits, and rich woody sherry notes. On the finish, woody, earthy notes mingle with citrus and warming spices with a gentle, drying sweetness.
Key Botanical(s): Black Pepper, Cardamom, Scottish Honey (Angus)
Gin Style: Cask Aged Scottish Gin
Strength: 43% ABV
Goes great with: A sprig of rosemary, a wedge of lime, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, ginger ale and ice.
Transformed from the remains of an old cattle barn, Arbikie is the first single-estate distillery to distil all spirits in the same copper pot stills, with the vodka and gin spirit continuing their journey to a 40-plate distillation column. This distillation process means all Arbikie spirits reflect the traditional Scotch whisky method.
Each spirit is distilled differently, with the base spirit for Arbikie gins being either double or triple-distilled using crops grown on the estate farm. All production takes place at the Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery, from the distillation to filling, bottling, and labelling. The new Arbikie Visitors Experience opened in 2022 and offers a range of visitor experiences, including tasting events and tours. The new addition also houses a cafe, bar, restaurant and shop.
In 2023 ÖÖD Houses, luxury pods featuring mirrored one-way glass, underfloor heating, double bed and bathroom, along with either a sauna or hot tub, were added to the distillery site, providing a range of unique accommodation for visitors who want to experience the Arbikie Distillery and spend the evening on-site taking in the views whilst sipping on a range of Arbikie Distillery spirits.
Please note distillery experiences may have changed since this information was published. Please check the booking link or brand website for the latest distillery experiences.
Tour: Yes
Cafe: Yes
Bar: Yes
Shop: Yes
Booking: Learn more about Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery experiences here
Learn more about Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery by visiting the links below.
