Crossbill originally started life on a small estate on the outskirts of Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands before relocating in 2017 to its current home in Glasgow’s famous Barras. The Hatchery distillery is home to Crossbill’s distillation of Scottish Gins along with a gin school and shop.
The core Scottish Gins are created using a limited number of hand-foraged fresh botanicals, which are carefully and ethically foraged in the Scottish Highlands before being prepared for distillation. It’s this process of using wild Scottish botanicals along with a slow maceration process under the watchful eye of the distillery team that gives Crossbill Gins their balanced fresh flavour of the Scottish Highlands.
Crossbill Scottish Dry Gin is a celebration of juniper and rosehip exclusively. It is made using only these two botanicals, which are hand-foraged from the Scottish Highlands. Crossbill has re-established a long lost tradition of harvesting Scottish juniper. For them, this creates a distinct taste evocative of the ancient pine forests where juniper has grown for centuries.
Key Botanical(s): Scottish Juniper, Rosehip
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 43.8% vol
Goes great with: A sprig of fresh rosemary, tonic and ice.
In the ancient juniper forests of Scotland, there are some rare plants which have been producing juniper for centuries; the grand dames of the highland forests. So on discovering a specimen that is over 200 years old, Crossbill decided to do something very special to honour this time aged plant. At 59.8%, it is bottled at still strength, holding onto the essential oils from the Scottish juniper. Every year, fresh juniper berries are collected and a limited number of bottles are produced.
Key Botanical(s): Scottish Juniper, Rosehip
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 59.8% vol
Goes great with: A flamed orange twist, tonic and ice.
A celebration of the natural habitat of the Scottish Crossbill's cousin, the North American Red Crossbill. Working in collaboration with a forager in New Hampshire, the team at Crossbill used freshly picked staghorn and infused it into Crossbill Gin to give a unique sumac citrus blast of the natural habitat of the American Red Crossbill. Described as exceptionally dry with a pleasant floral and tangy taste of citrus fruit. Best enjoyed neat over ice.
Key Botanical(s): Handpicked Scottish Juniper, Staghorn Sumac
Gin Style: Flavoured
Strength: 46% vol
Goes great with: Neat over ice or with Mediterranean tonic and ice.
Fresh pineapple caramelised and macerated with Scottish juniper, ginger and thyme, then distilled and aged in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks to deliver a well balanced gin that is magnificently rich and sumptuous. The result: a well balanced Winter tipple, great sipped on its own or with tonic, soda, lemonade or ginger ale.
Key Botanical(s): Handpicked Scottish Juniper, Pineapple
Gin Style: Flavoured, Cask Aged
Strength: 40% vol
Goes great with: A julienne of fresh ginger, soda and ice.
Crossbill Seasonal Gin Summer 2022 features a selection of foraged botanicals that were carefully picked during the summer of 2022. These botanicals were then carefully distilled to produce this unique and limited edition Scottish Gin. Key botanicals featured include rosehips, raspberries and brambles that were picked near Crail in the East Neuk of Fife. The gin features bright, summer notes of zingy red fruit on the nose, with a slight floral note. The palate delivers a gin flavour profile that showcases the zingy, red fruit but is balanced with some juniper, citrus and spice.
Key Botanical(s): Rosehips, Raspberries, Brambles
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 43.4% vol
Goes great with: A few raspberries, tonic and ice.
Crossbill Seasonal Gin Winter 2023 features a selection of foraged botanicals that were carefully picked during the winter of 2023. These botanicals were then carefully distilled to produce this unique and limited edition Scottish Gin. Key botanicals featured include sea buckthorn and dulse seaweed. The gin features maritime notes on the nose and palate, with fresh and complex layers of savoury sea notes. The nose has notable notes of dry fruits and fresh, juicy berries. The palate features a sweet note from the rosehips along with citrus. The finish delivers further maritime notes with dulse seaweed, some brine and a tangy, balanced finish.
Key Botanical(s): Rosehips, Dulse Seawood, Sea Buckthorn
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 43.4% vol
Goes great with: An olive, tonic and ice.
Crossbill Seasonal Gin Spring 2023 features a selection of foraged botanicals that were carefully picked during the spring of 2023. These botanicals were then carefully distilled to produce this unique and limited edition Scottish Gin. Key botanicals featured include lemon balm and rhubarb. The lemon balm was distilled within hours of being foraged to capture the freshest, cleanest flavours. The rhubarb was picked from a local grower in Midlothian, providing sweet and tart notes. The nose is fresh, bright and green with hints of lemon citrus and fresh rhubarb. The palate delivers similar to the nose, tangy lemon citrus and undertones of tangy, juicy rhubarb. The finish is slightly bitter and tart as the rhubarb shines through.
Key Botanical(s): Lemon Balm, Rhubarb, Rosehips
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 43.8% vol
Goes great with: A basil leaf, tonic and ice.
Formerly based at a distillery in the Scottish Highlands, Crossbill Distilling moved to their current distillery, known as The Hatchery, in the heart of Glasgow’s Barrowlands in the Spring of 2017. The distillery, which is in the Barras Art and Design (BAaD) centre, features a traditional Alembic copper pot still, used for all the Crossbill Gin distillations. The distillery also offers distilling and blending experiences, where visitors can create their own Scottish Gins, enjoy tastings and take advantage of other offers and discounts.
Gin School: Yes
Shop: Yes
Booking: Book a gin school experience here
You can learn more about the maker by clicking the links below.
