The Isle of Skye is an island landscape famous for dinosaurs, giants, ancient castles and fairies. You might think this was a plot for a Hollywood blockbuster (and several Hollywood movies have been shot on location here), but all of the above is true. So it’s no surprise that in 2017 brothers Thomas and Alistair Wilson decided to escape the rat race and follow their dream of setting up the first commercial gin distillery on their home island of Skye.
Both accustomed to hard graft and long days, the brothers wanted to ensure their gins captured the true spirit of the landscape they had grown up around in the flavours, aromas, branding and packaging. The bespoke bottle captures elements of the island, including the ripples from the famous ‘Fairy Pools’, lochs and coastal waters. The Isle of Skye in Scots Gaelic is proudly embossed on the front of the bottle, and a hidden map of the island can be found on the bottom. The bespoke stopper features the company logo embossed in copper, the same colour as the traditional alembic copper pot stills used for production.
Misty Isle Classically Aromatic Gin is a marriage of crystal clear spring waters from the Storr Lochs and a selection of local and classic gin botanicals. Local hand foraged juniper is combined with coriander, angelica, orris, grains of paradise, lemon and a few others along with a secret botanical only found on the Isle of Skye. The gin is created using traditional open flame copper pot stills and goes through a distillation process that includes distillation to capture bold and bright flavours, along with vapour infusion, which helps capture the delicate, lighter flavours and aromas.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Black Cubebs, Lemon Peel
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 41.5% vol
Goes great with: Orange peel, Mediterranean tonic and ice.
Misty Isle Gin Fruity & Floral, an Old Tom style of gin, features a selection of fruit botanicals including pear, blackcurrants, raspberries and meadowsweet all grown by the co-founders mother in her garden. These botanicals are carefully distilled along with a number of classic gin botanicals including juniper. The gin is slightly sweet thanks to use of the fruit which is left to soak in the alcohol for a week prior to distillation, infusing bright fruit flavours and subtle floral notes.
Key Botanical(s): Pear, Blackcurrants, Raspberries
Gin Style: Old Tom
Strength: 41.5% vol
Goes great with: A few raspberries, tonic and ice.
Misty Isle Salty & Sweet Gin uses a number of locally grown and foraged botanicals including juniper, angelica root, blueberries, coriander seed, meadowsweet stalks and sea orache form the shores of Loch Portree. The gin to taste has distinct and balanced notes of juniper with fresh berries, a slight earthy note and spice from the angelica and coriander, with a sharp saltiness in the aftertaste.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Blueberries, Sea Orache
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 42% vol
Goes great with: A twist of lemon peel, tonic and ice.
A Scottish Gin created in memory of brothers Thomas and Alistair Wilson’s father Tommy. Tommy served in the Suez invasion and passed away in late August 2016. ‘Tommy’ is also a generic name and term of endearment for a soldier. For every bottle of Tommy’s gin sold, proceeds are donated to local Military Charities. The label artwork was inspired by the Commando memorial, near Spean Bridge, which the distillery delivery van drives past every week.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Poppy Seed, Coriander, Liquorice Root, Blaeberry, Sweet Orange
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 45% vol
Goes great with: Lemon peel, blueberries, tonic and ice.
This seasonal gin brings together all the traditional festive flavours that you would associate with a mulled wine combined with a generous juniper hit. All the botanicals are all soaked in the rich, Italian Amarone red wine prior to distilling.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Cassia Bark, Orange, Lemon, Star Anise, Tonka Bean, Liquorice Root
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 41.5% vol
Goes great with: A slice of orange, a cinnamon stick, tonic and ice.
This Spookily Spiced Gin is said to be infused with the 'Spirits' of Skye. An old Skye tale tells of a 'Ghost Car', and rumoured 1934 Austin, that travels along the old road from Portree to Sligachan, appearing only in complete darkness. Witnesses claim that they've been forced to pull over allowing the Austin to overtake, before it simply vanishes into the dead of night. It is thought that the ghost driver was a local church minister, who lost his mind with guilt after having been involved in a fatal accident.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Hog Weed Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Orange, Cloves
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 40% vol
Goes great with: A slice of fresh orange, tonic and ice.
The Isle of Skye Distillery is located in Portree, the capital of the Isle of Skye. The distillery is home to two traditional alembic copper pot stills where all the Isle of Skye Distillers spirits are produced. All bottling and labelling also take place at the distillery. The distillery is not open to members of the public; however, the Isle of Skye Distillers also have a gin school and bottle shop in the centre of Portree where visitors are welcome to come, browse and even try their hand at making their own Scottish Gin at the gin school, where visitors can distil their own personalised Isle of Skye Gin under the watchful eye of Thomas or Alistair. Visitors can pick from a selection of botanicals before distilling their Gin in one of the miniature alembic copper pot stills. Once distilled, visitors will bottle, label and name their one-off Gin, providing a memorable keepsake from their time on the Isle of Skye.
Gin School: Yes
Shop: Yes
Booking: For enquiries and gin school group bookings visit the Isle of Skye Distillers website here
You can learn more about the maker by clicking the links below.
