Badachro Distillery

Nestled in the scenic hamlet of Badachro near Gairloch in the Scottish Highlands is the Badachro Distillery, established by husband and wife Gordon and Vanessa Quinn. With the sea to the west and north, the Torridon mountains to the east, and Loch Torridon to the south, the area provides a glimpse of the true Scottish wilderness. Pitch black night skies where the stars are at times almost blindingly bright, an arm of the Milky Way galaxy streaks above in the night’s sky and the Aurora Borealis (The Northern Lights) can often be seen over the winter months dancing overhead.

The couple’s love of Badachro started with a chance encounter; some might say it was fate at the Badachro Inn. Gordon was on a hillwalking adventure with a friend when a storm blew in from the west, hindering their plans to wild camp for the night. With the wind picking up and the rain blowing horizontally, the friends headed for the nearest shelter, the Badachro Inn. By chance, Vanessa and her friends, who were also visiting the Highlands from her native Germany on an outdoor holiday, had the same idea. Gordon and Vanessa immediately struck it off and talked well into the early hours. Twelve weeks later, the couple were married.

Thanks to both their careers – Gordon worked for a global drinks brand, and Vanessa worked in horticulture – the couple spent the first few years of their married life travelling the world and soaking up the cultures they encountered, including the flavours, aromas, fauna and more. However, no matter where they went, they always made time to return on holiday to Badachro. Eventually, the couple settled in Gordon’s home city, Edinburgh, where they started their family. Gordon and Vanessa knew that if the opportunity to move to Badachro came up, it would mean a career change for both. Still, it would also open the door to several exciting new possibilities and provide some well needed work-life balance after their busy careers. It would also allow the couple to give something back to the place they loved.

Eventually, the timing was right, so Gordon and Vanessa, their two young children, a dog, and a cat, packed up their things and moved to Badachro in 2007. Initially, the family lived in a caravan on-site while their house and bed and breakfast were under construction. Gordon and Vanessa established a successful B&B where guests could enjoy the spectacular views and fine Highland hospitality. The idea to start the Badachro Distillery arose after an evening at Badachro Inn. Gordon and Vanessa noticed a growing range of Scottish Gins behind the bar representing different cities and regions of Scotland. They knew that Badachro was a very special place and realised establishing a distillery that produced spirits, including Scottish Gin, influenced by the local area would generate many benefits for the place Gordon and Vanessa called home.

Gordon began researching the planning and construction of a distillery on-site beside their home and sourcing a gin still. Gordon knew he wanted a still that he could have total control over, so he opted for a used traditional Portuguese alembic still named ‘Delilah’. With her background in horticulture, Vanessa started a library of locally foraged botanicals to understand better what botanicals were on the doorstep and what could be sustainable foraged for use in creating their first Scottish Gin.

The Badachro Distillery launched its signature Badachro Gin in July 2017. It is a classic London Dry Scottish Gin featuring a range of commercial and locally foraged botanicals, another milestone in the couple’s goal of establishing a distillery and crafting spirits that reflect the unique character of their surroundings. Since then, the distillery’s range of spirits has continued to grow, which now includes a range of Scottish Gins, Scottish Vodka, Scottish Rum and an exclusive range of limited-edition single malts bottled under the Bad na h-Achlaise label with the long-term plan to eventually release a Badachro Single Malt whisky produced exclusively at the Badachro Distillery, once it’s matured. Growing demand for Badachro Distillery spirits also means ‘Delilah,’ the original spirit still, is now enjoying a well-earned retirement, replaced by three larger traditional Portuguese alembic stills named ‘Ashleigh’, ‘Scarlett’, and ‘DeDe’. 

Gordon and Vanessa Quinn’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and a deep-rooted love for Badachro. What began as a chance meeting in a Highland inn has blossomed into a thriving family life and a distillery that captures the very essence of the Scottish wilderness. Today, Badachro Distillery stands as a proud testament to their vision — a place where tradition, nature, and craft come together to create exceptional Scottish spirits with character. As their journey continues, Gordon, Vanessa, and the Badachro Distillery remain dedicated to sharing the spirit of their beloved Highlands with the world, one bottle at a time.