The original site was a derelict plot of land located in the Pentland Hills on the outskirts of Edinburgh up until 2011 when Husband and wife Hamish and Liberty Martin bought the site which they transformed over several years to feature large greenhouses and plant beds with over 600 varieties of plants and herbs, a cafe, a shop and a distillery.
In 2022 the business changed ownership with a new family taking on the stewardship of the business. The Armstrong family had recently relocated back to Scotland from abroad and, with a love of gin, plants, and the outdoors, the Armstrong family saw The Secret Garden Distillery as an opportunity to grow and build upon the original owner’s goals and legacy.
The wonders of Mother Nature never fail to astound and amaze. The same can be said of the Apothecary Rose Gin, made using handpicked rose petals from the distillery garden, which changes colour when tonic added; from a light sepia colour to a vibrant fuchsia pink. The hand-harvested Apothecary Rose petals are distilled and blended with Juniper, Coriander, Angelica Root and Winter Savory to create a gin that is reminiscent of Summer, featuring hints of Turkish Delight with rich creamy brown sugar notes.
Key Botanical(s): Apothecary Rose, Coriander, Angelica Root, Winter Savory
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 39% vol
Goes great with: A raspberry and mint garnish, light tonic and ice.
The elder tree is one of the most sacred things that grow on the British Isles, steeped in mystery and folklore and worshipped by our ancestors since we first arrived on these shores. Jasmine is renowned in Eastern history thanks to its unmatchable fragrance; its beguiling scent is synonymous with desire. To match these noblest of plants, the team distilled hand-harvested elderflower and jasmine and blended them over their crisp dry base, carefully balancing the delicate floral aromas creating a fragrant gin with hints of exotic fruits.
Key Botanical(s): Elderflower, Jasmine, Coriander, Angelica Root, Winter Savory
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 39% vol
Goes great with: A slice of pink grapefruit, light tonic and ice.
A refreshing dry gin with natural citrus notes and a hint of lemon sherbet, this bottling was the distillery’s first clear gin. Distilled using hand-harvested lemon verbena from the distillery garden, the gin is created by blending the distilled lemon verbena with juniper, coriander, angelica root and winter savoury.
Key Botanical(s): Lemon Verbena, Coriander, Angelica Root, Winter Savory
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 39% vol
Goes great with: Lemon garnish, light tonic and ice.
A range of wild and hand-harvested botanicals from The Secret Garden Distillery are dried before being distilled to create a naturally herbaceous, London Dry style gin. The key botanicals include home grown bog mrytle, nettle, sweet cicely, dwarf birch, sweet woodruff and winter savory.
Key Botanical(s): Bog Myrtle, Nettle, Sweet Cicely, Dwarf Birch, Sweet Woodruff, Winter Savory
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 39% vol
Goes great with: A sprig of rosemary, light tonic and ice.
Lavender is a richly fragrant flower, known for its restorative qualities. The echinacea is a flowering daisy with delicate petals and a sweet scent. The combination of these botanicals, together with the base gin of juniper, coriander, angelica root and winter savory, creates a subtly fresh, herbaceous gin with floral notes. Thanks to the infusion of butterfly pea and rose petals, this gin also has some of Mother Nature’s wonder with its ability to change colour when mixed with tonic, changing from a light inky blue to an effervescent lilac colour
Key Botanical(s): Lavender, Echinacea, Coriander, Angelica Root, Winter Savory
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 39% vol
Goes great with: A lime garnish, light tonic and ice.
The backbone for this gin is juniper and coriander where the seeds and berries are lightly crushed. Angelica root and the subtler flavours of the Angelica leaf are used in conjunction with winter savory, a plant not dissimilar to Rosemary but with more gentle notes. These four botanicals are macerated before distillation and offer a smooth, elegant and light base gin, to which freshly distilled Cinnamon, Ginger and Cardamom are added, to capture the essence of Christmas. Finally, freshly-harvested poppy and mallow petals are infused to provide a soft, vibrant Christmassy colour.
Key Botanical(s): Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 39% vol
Goes great with: Orange garnish, light tonic and ice.
Spring Gin is part of The Secret Garden Distillery’s Seasonal range, designed to capture the essence of the season, exploring flavours, scents and seasonal plants. This release celebrates two of Spring’s magical delights: the dandelion and the honeybee. Spring Gin is a beautifully balanced clear gin, juniper-led with a slightly sweet finish on the palate. Lots of fresh herbal notes on the nose and hints of earthy spice. Spring in a glass.
Key Botanical(s): Dandelion, Honey
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 39% vol
Goes great with: A sprig of rosemary, light tonic and ice.
With Love Gin is a bouquet of rose, hand-picked from the distillery gardens. Hand harvested and dried on site, rose and geranium petals are then distilled and blended with the base gin on juniper, coriander, angelica root and winter savoury. The gin is described as being herbaceous in flavour with floral notes from the rose and geranium.
Key Botanical(s): Rose, Geranium, Coriander, Angelica Root, Winter Savoury
Gin Style: Distilled
Strength: 39% vol
Goes great with: A strawberry garnish, light tonic and ice.
The distilling, bottling and labelling all take place on-site at the distillery which is located in the rolling green landscape of the Lothianburn on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Many of the botanicals that are used in the gins produced at the The Secret Garden Distillery are grown on-site at the secret herb garden. Flowers and key botanicals for the gins are carefully hand-picked and dried by a dedicated team gardeners. Once dried the flowers and botanicals are checked for their quality before being stored for future distillations. The distillery itself can be found in a repurposed outbuilding that houses a number of custom-built copper pot stills, along with a tasting room where the distillery and equipment can be viewed through the large windows overlooking the distillery.
Tour: Yes
Cafe: Yes
Bar: Yes
Shop: Yes
Booking: Book a gin garden and distillery tour here
You can learn more about the maker by clicking the links below.
