Established by husband and wife Andy Bailey and Gillian Bailey in the historic Scottish town of Clackmannan in Clackmannanshire, The Heart of Scotland Distillery officially opened its doors in November 2024. Historians believe the name Clackmannan is derived from “Clach Mhanainn,” meaning “Stone of Manau,” referring to a large standing stone in the town that is associated with ancient Celtic mythology and the sea god Manannán mac Lir.
Another local site of historical importance is Clackmannan Tower, dating back to the 14th century, which was once home to the descendants of King Robert the Bruce and remains a symbol of the area’s royal heritage today. Additionally, due to Clackmannanshire’s location, sitting roughly midway between Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Perth, it is often described as being the “Heart of Scotland”.
Although small, Clackmannan has a rich industrial and cultural past. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it played a part in Scotland’s early industrial revolution, benefiting from nearby coal mining, brewing, and distilling activities that were once prominent across Clackmannanshire. The surrounding Ochil Hills provided pure spring water for the breweries and distilleries, including Forth Brewery, Kennetpans Distillery, and Clackmannan Distillery.
Andy and Gillian were both hobby foragers, often stopping on walks around the local area to pick botanicals that the couple would take home and use in the kitchen or forage from the hedgerows to create homemade jams and preserves. Andy also enjoyed home brewing, tinkering, and creating small-batch brews that often featured the botanicals the couple had foraged. The couple was also aware of the area’s connections to several lost breweries and distilleries.
The couple discussed the idea of setting up a distillery and toyed with the idea of working with a third-party distillery. However, Andy and Gillian knew that if they were to feature elements of the town and areas’ local history and landmarks, they would need to be produced in Clackmannan to have any geographical provenance.
The couple purchased a small traditional Portuguese Alembic copper pot still to aid with recipe development. Alongside developing recipes, the couple also began the process of applying for the development of their distillery. Over the next 12 months, Andy and Gillian refined their recipe for their signature Scottish Gin, combining commercial and locally foraged botanicals, with juniper prominent as a cornerstone. The couple also used the same fresh water supply that had once been a key element in the success and quality of the the area’s now-defunct breweries and distilleries.
The next significant step for the couple was choosing a spirit still. They knew they wanted a spirit still that would provide room for both experimentation and growth, eventually opting for a Still Dragon still for their gin production. With their distillery plans approved, Andy and Gillian set to work converting the garage located near their home into what would become the Heart of Scotland Distillery. With everything in place, the next challenge the couple faced was upsizing their final recipes on the new still.
Andy and Gillian worked over the next few months to develop their brand, packaging, and recipes, focusing on the elements of the town and local area that were important to them and capturing some of what makes the town and local area special. The Heart of Scotland Distillery launched its signature London Dry Scottish Gin and a bold Navy Strength Scottish Gin in November 2024.
Heart of Scotland Navy Strength Gin is the high strength Scottish Gin from the Heart of Scotland Distillery, bottled at 57% ABV. Heart of Scotland Navy Strength Gin features a range of botanicals including commercially sourced, along with several locally foraged and garden grown botanicals.
Commercially sourced botanicals include juniper berries, coriander seeds, green cardamom and Scottish sea salt from Blackthorn Salts, a Scottish based salt producer. Locally foraged botanicals include sweet cicely and chamomile, with lavender, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, elderflower, and sage all grown in local gardens.
On the nose, big, bold piney juniper mingles with notable fresh florals and earthy, woody spices. On the palate, rich and piney juniper with distinct citrus and earthy spices are balanced with hints of fresh florals and green herbaceous notes. On the finish, piney juniper notes transition to warming, earthy spices with undertones of green herbs, florals and citrus, with a drying mineral salinity.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Scottish Sea Salt, Sweet Cicely
Gin Style: London Dry Scottish Gin
Strength: 43% ABV
Goes great with: A sprig of rosemary, tonic and ice.
Heart of Scotland Navy Strength Gin is the high strength Scottish Gin from the Heart of Scotland Distillery, bottled at 57% ABV. Heart of Scotland Navy Strength Gin features a range of botanicals including commercially sourced, along with several locally foraged and garden grown botanicals.
Commercially sourced botanicals include juniper berries, coriander seeds, green cardamom and Scottish sea salt from Blackthorn Salts, a Scottish based salt producer. Locally foraged botanicals include sweet cicely and chamomile, with lavender, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, elderflower, and sage all grown in local gardens.
On the nose, big, bold piney juniper mingles with notable fresh florals and earthy, woody spices. On the palate, rich and piney juniper with distinct citrus and earthy spices are balanced with hints of fresh florals and green herbaceous notes. On the finish, piney juniper notes transition to warming, earthy spices with undertones of green herbs, florals and citrus, with a drying mineral salinity.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Scottish Sea Salt, Sweet Cicely
Gin Style: Navy Strength Scottish Gin
Strength: 57% ABV
Goes great with: A wedge of orange, tonic and ice.
Heart of Scotland Pomegranate & Pink Peppercorn Gin is a Flavoured Scottish Gin from the Heart of Scotland Distillery. Heart of Scotland Pomegranate & Pink Peppercorn Gin features a range of botanicals including commercially sourced, along with locally foraged and garden grown botanicals.
Commercially sourced botanicals include juniper berries, coriander seeds, pink peppercorns, pomegranate seeds and Scottish sea salt from Blackthorn Salts, a Scottish based salt producer. Locally foraged botanicals include sweet cicely and lavender, with bay leaves which are grown in a local garden.
On the nose, juicy red berry fruits, some subtle pine and citrus notes with a slight tartness. One the palate, fresh, natural red berries hints with a mix of red berry tartness and sweetness, along with some piney juniper and zesty citrus notes and some warming spices. On the finish, red berries lead with some citrus and a warming, gentle spice and a fresh, drying mineral salinity.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Scottish Sea Salt, Sweet Cicely
Gin Style: Flavoured Scottish Gin
Strength: 43% ABV
Goes great with: A slice of grapefruit, tonic and ice.
The Heart of Scotland Distillery is a micro-distillery located in the town of Clackmannan. All distillation, bottling and productions takes place on-site at the distillery. The Heart of Scotland Distillery co-founders, Andy Bailey and Gillian Bailey plan to open the distillery in 2026 for small group tours and tasting experiences.
Please note the Heart of Scotland Distillery is currently not open to the public, unless advertised otherwise.
Tour: No
Gin School: No
Cafe: No
Bar: No
Shop: No
Learn more about Heart of Scotland Distillery by visiting the links below.