Having spent over a decade running an electrical engineering business that included a number of distilleries, breweries and alcohol related businesses as clients, it will come as no surprise that working closely with drinks producers, father and son Jim and Lawrence Nicholson, were slowly introduced to gin. Through their work and family, gin slowly became a favourite tipple in the Nicholson household.
Hogmanay 2019 was a turning point for the family as they sat enjoying a few gins to bring in the bells. They agreed one of the most interesting and fun parts of the gin industry must be experimenting and creating a great gin. They agreed it would be a really unique offering, to be able to make your own gin online and have a bottle of your finished gin delivered to your door. Fast forward to October 2019, with a one-of-a-kind bespoke gin still in place, the distillery officially opened its doors offering a number of Scottish Gin expressions and a unique website that lets consumers design their own gin.
The signature Scottish Gin expression from Inspirited; Inspirited Dry Gin is a London Dry Gin distilled with juniper, coriander seed, cardamom, lemon peel, orris root and galangal root. Initial juniper and citrus give way to a slightly sweet spice on the finish. The recipe went through approximately 350 tweaks and iterations before the final recipe was approved and distilled using a vapour basket in the bespoke still resulting in a gin that delivers a delicate, balanced flavour profile.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Lemon Peel, Cardamom
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 37.5% vol
Goes great with: A slice of lemon, Mediterranean tonic and ice.
Inspirited Hibiscus Gin is distilled with juniper, lemon peel, kaffir lime leaves, lemon peel, orris root, cardamom, coriander, hibiscus, raspberries and strawberries. This contemporary style gin delivers a well balanced combination of fresh fruit, floral, sweetness and citrus. Pink in colour thanks to the use of fresh raspberries and strawberries, this gin works well in a classic G&T or as the base of a berry inspired cocktail.
Key Botanical(s): Hibiscus, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Raspberry, Strawberry
Gin Style: Flavoured
Strength: 37.5% vol
Goes great with: A fresh strawberry, tonic and ice.
The latest release from the team at Inspirited Distillery; Navy Strength Spiced Gin. Working hard to retain the delicate flavours within the botanical mix, the team put their one-of-a-kind still through its paces to design their “spicy and bold yet smooth and balanced” higher strength gin. This gin is packed full of beautiful spices and botanicals, including baobab, galangal root, Kentish cobnuts, grains of paradise and pink peppercorns. This gin is described as a smooth sipping gin or ideal in a cocktail, such as a negroni or the distiller’s personal favourite, Southside.
Key Botanical(s): Baobab, Galangal Root, Kentish Cobnuts, Grains of Paradise, Pink Peppercorns
Gin Style: Navy Strength
Strength: 57.1% vol
Goes great with: In a Southside cocktail.
Inspirited Bergamot Orange and Golden Kiwi Gin is packed with citrus using not one, not two, but three types or orange. Sweet orange, Seville orange and Bergamot orange are combined with golden kiwi, coconut and lemon peel to create a gin that’s zesty, zingy and bright on the nose and the palate. Other botanicals include cardamom, coriander, juniper and orris root to create a classic gin base layered with juicy orange fruit and sweet kiwi.
Key Botanical(s): Golden Kiwi, Bergamot Orange, Bitter Orange, Seville Orange
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 37.5% vol
Goes great with: A twist of orange peel, mediterranean light tonic and ice.
The Inspirited Distillery is located in the small market town of Strathaven in South Lanarkshire. Operating from their commercial unit in the town, the distillery is fitted with a one-of-a-kind still that was designed by founder Lawrence and the team at Allied Beverage Tanks in Chicago, USA. The still allows the distillery to produce single bottles of gin thanks to its unique configuration. The result being that multiple gins can be produced during one distillation process, which lends itself perfectly to their ‘design you own gin online’ service. The distillery can then prepare the recipe, distil the gin, bottle and dispatch to the creator.
Tour: No
Shop: No
Booking: Not open to the public
You can learn more about the maker by clicking the links below.
