Beinn an Tuirc Distillery occupies a former piggery building located on the Torrisdale Castle Estate in Kintyre, Scotland. Torrisdale Castle Estate has been in the ownership of the Macalister Hall family since 1872 and over the years has benefited from innovative diversification. A successful self-catering business began in the early 1980’s, started by the current laird’s parents and continues to thrive today. With the installation of a biomass boiler and a 99kw hydro-electric scheme, the estate including the distillery, is focused on reducing its carbon footprint.
Beinn an Tuirc Distillery marks an exciting new chapter in Torrisdale’s diverse history and it is hoped that Kintyre Gin will help to further promote this beautiful part of Scotland with the estate providing visitors with magnificent views over the Kilbrannan Sound to the Isle of Arran.
Kintyre Gin includes 12 botanicals in their core expression, which have all been sustainably sourced. To achieve the characteristics of a very flavoursome and well-balanced spirit, the gin consists of 10 commonly used botanicals, with the addition of 2 which are unique, namely Icelandic moss and sheep sorrel - both grow on the estate in abundance. Either through maceration or vapour infusion, these produce a gin which is described as having earthy and spicy characteristics, being deep in flavour, with a very pleasant floral aroma. A true taste of Kintyre!
Key Botanical(s): Sheep Sorrel, Icelandic Moss
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 43% vol
Goes great with: A slice of fresh lime, tonic and ice.
This Pink Gin, which is naturally coloured, includes Scottish oats and raspberries in the distillation process. This creates a rich and fruity spirit with a creamy finish.
Key Botanical(s): Scottish Oats, Raspberries
Gin Style: Flavoured
Strength: 40% vol
Goes great with: Fresh raspberries, tonic and ice.
Legend tells of a sword wielding viking by the name of Magnus Barelegs, the King of Norway, circumnavigating his longboat around the peninsula of Kintyre before landing ashore and claiming Kintyre as his own. Tarbert Legbiter is a fitting tribute to the bold, strong king. Bottled at 57% ABV, this Navy Strength gin was originally created as limited edition gin as part of the Kintyre Gin club. The gin proved so popular it was added to the core range of spirits. Distilled using hibiscus flower and pink peppercorns, the flavour profile is described as sweet and light on the palette, with hints of floral before a dry, lingering and spicy finish.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Hibiscus, Pink Peppercorns
Gin Style: Navy Strength
Strength: 57% vol
Goes great with: Neat over ice or served a slice of fresh ginger, ginger ale and ice.
The Beinn an Tuirc team, makers of Kintyre Gin, collaborated with the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust to create a special gin to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the island's community buy-out. £5 from the sale of every bottle gets donated to the Trust. A select few visitors had a sneaky taste at the distillery’s recent open day but there’s a larger batching bottling right now, available to buy from early April. Distillers Su and Lynsey collected a variety of botanicals from the stunning coastline and richly diverse Achamore Gardens, trialling samples on a stove top still. Gorse and sugar kelp from the shore complement nettle, dandelion root and mountain pepper from the land, alongside cassia, orange, orris and of course, juniper. The finished spirit is a rich and complex gin, a blend of herbal island botanicals married together with hints of sea minerals.
Key Botanical(s): Gorse, Sugar Kelp, Nettle, Dandelion Root, Mountain Pepper
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 40% vol
Goes great with: A wedge of grapefruit, tonic and ice.
Ceann Loch Citrus Gin was created to celebrate the opening of Hall's of Campbeltown, a small independent bottle shop owned and operated by the team at Beinn an Tuirc. Described as a zesty balanced Scottish Gin with bursts of citrus from the use of pink grapefruit, lemon and coriander in the distillation.
Key Botanical(s): Pink Grapefruit, Lemon, Coriander
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 40% vol
Goes great with: A wedge of pink grapefruit, tonic and ice.
A unique infusion of Beinn an Tuirc’s signature Kintyre Gin with the subtle caramel and vanilla notes of classic American bourbon. Aged in a first-fill bourbon barrel from Heaven Hills in Kentucky. The spirit was left to imbibe the flavours for around three months which was enough time for the distinctive bourbon essences to soak in, resulting in an exceptional spirit, evocative of its American origins.
Key Botanical(s): Sheep Sorrel, Icelandic Moss
Gin Style: Cask Aged
Strength: 45% vol
Goes great with: Neat over ice or served with ginger ale, a slice of fresh ginger and ice.
Situated on the Torrisdale Castle Estate, the Beinn an Tuirc Distillery features the operational distillery, a gin school, shop and cafe. The distillery houses the Beinn an Tuirc still ‘Big Don’, which is used to produce a variety of gin expressions and other Scottish spirits. A number of experiences are available for visitors, including blending your own gin and tours. Tours provide some background into the distillery and estate as well as insight into the gin making process. And it provides a fantastic opportunity to taste, or takeaway, some Kintyre Gin samples.
Tour: Yes
Gin School: Yes
Cafe: Yes
Shop: Yes
Booking: Learn more about the various Kintyre Gin experiences here
You can learn more about the maker by clicking the links below.
