Isle of Lewis Gin

Husband and wife Iain and Laura Irvine decided they would love to relocate to the Isle of Lewis when the time was right. Although both were originally from the Scottish mainland, Iain’s family were from the Isle of Lewis and as time went on Iain and Laura both felt the draw of what island life could offer. Iain and Laura had spent many holidays visiting the island, creating memories, and spending time with friends and family. In 2019 the couple were married at Lews Castle in Stornaway, the capital of the Isle of Lewis which reinforced their love and connection to the island. The couple finally embraced the opportunity to leave the mainland and relocate to the Isle of Lewis in 2021.

With an interest in home brewing and spirits, Iain and Laura had toyed with establishing an Isle of Lewis Gin. They knew that, realistically, the resources needed to establish a distillery on the island would have to wait. However, they knew the island had a rich and diverse range of fauna that would provide the perfect inspiration for a new Scottish Gin expression that encapsulated the island. They started taking photos of the Machair, a natural wonder of many of the Western Isles, where a mix of wildflowers and plants take root on the low-lying coasts and sand dunes, providing a habitat for the local fauna.

Iain and Laura explored and cross-reference each plant they photographed to understand its potential properties as a gin botanical. The couple were conscientious about the sensitivity and sustainability of the Machair, eventually opting to include some of the botanicals that are found in the Machair but could be sourced from a botanical merchant. The couple had an idea for a flavour profile and developed a number of test recipes before deciding on the final flavour profile.

The couple eventually spoke with the team at Lost Loch Distillery in Aberdeenshire who helped them with the final distillation process which included fresh spring water sourced from beside the couple’s home, which is shipped to the mainland for use in the distillation. Iain and Laura are proud to be behind the first Scottish Gin from the Isle of Lewis and were delighted by the response and support from across the island. In the long term, the couple would one day like to establish an Isle of Lewis Distillery and release several new Isle of Lewis Gin expressions and a range of other spirits influenced by the island they call home.