Wildfire Gin was established in 2024 in Stow in the Scottish Borders by James Varga and Jeremy Fraser, friends who had worked together previously and who both shared a love of the outdoors, adventure, business and, of course, a gin and tonic. James had seen the growth of the Scottish Gin category over the previous decade and, along with Jeremy, saw a unique opportunity to build a Scottish spirits brand that released spirits with individual character, combining bold, adventurous flavours and aromas inspired by experiences, exploration, adventure and the great outdoors.
The name Wildfire was partly inspired by a character from Sir Walter Scott’s 1818 novel The Heart of Midlothian, Madge Wildfire. In the novel, Madge is a complex character, unconventional and expressive. Sir Walter Scott himself also resided at Abbotsford House in Melrose later in life, just a short distance from where the Wildfire Gin brand is based.
James and Jeremy knew two options for their Scottish Gin production involved establishing a distillery of their own or collaborating with existing distilleries who already had the production facilities and knowledge of the spirits sector, which would allow the co-founders to focus on the brand, storytelling and allow them to approach the recipe development for their Scottish Gins with fresh taste buds and lots of creative ideas.
The Wildfire Gin co-founders worked with Allan Walker, co-founder and head distiller at Selkirk Distillers. James and Jeremy worked closely with Allan at the distillery on the recipe development, exploring the production process and botanicals. James and Jeremy wanted their signature Madge Wildfire Scottish Gin profile to evoke the experience of walking through the ancient Caledonian pine forests, summiting the bold, untamed mountain plateaus, and taking a stroll through sun-dappled glens and heather-clad hillsides. With the final recipe in place, packaging ready, Madge Wildfire Scottish Gin was officially launched in March 2024.
For their next release, Merchant’s Flame Scottish Gin, James and Jeremy wanted to create a flavour profile that explored the spices and exotic flavours Scotland’s maritime traders and spice merchants brought back from abroad to Scotland’s shores. Many of these botanicals, including warming, exciting spices and bold, bright fruits, were a revelation of flavours and aromas for anyone who had the chance to try them. The journey for these traders and merchants meant weeks, and sometimes months, at sea, navigating treacherous waters with the hope of reaching foreign lands, securing a rich cargo, and then repeating the perilous journey home.
Through the recipe development, James and Jeremy discovered the history of Long Pepper, which had been used for millennia across Europe and the Mediterranean and was the original pepper used in various culinary dishes, drinks, medicines and tinctures. Long Pepper was seen as a luxury botanical because it mainly grew wild in the remote foothills of India. Cultivating Long Pepper was labour intensive, requiring not only skilled growers and foragers who could grow and farm the botanical, often in dangerous terrain, but also people who could transport the Long Pepper from the remote country regions to the main ports. In turn, it also meant only the best spice merchants had Long Pepper, which resulted in Long Pepper becoming a highly prized spice.
The spirit of collaboration is something that was not only important to James and Jeremy with the Wildfire Gin production, but also a philosophy that the co-founders wanted to explore further with other businesses, brands and individuals who had great stories to share.
The Wildfire Gins caught the attention of the team at the Cromlix Hotel, which provided James and Jeremy with another collaboration opportunity and a challenge – to translate the character and essence of the Cromlix into a Scottish Gin. James, Jeremy, along with Kim Murray and the Cromlix team, set to work exploring botanicals. They wanted the recipe to feature botanicals that could be foraged or grown on the hotel grounds, including foraged Milk Thistle and Raspberry leaf grown in the Cromlix kitchen garden. Several recipes were developed with the support of master distiller Lewis Scothorn at Distillutions, before further refinement until the right recipe was reached that combined locally foraged, locally grown and a selection of classic, commercial gin botanicals including juniper.
Another collaboration Scottish Gin was Wildfire Ascent, a limited-edition Scottish Gin and collaboration created with adventurer Sarah Armstrong, inspired by Sarah’s mountaineering and expedition experiences, including her ambition to complete the Seven Summits. The Seven Summits is the ultimate high-altitude mountaineering challenge that requires the climber to summit the highest mountains on each of the seven traditional continents, including Mount Everest.
James and Jeremy’s approach has allowed them to focus on developing both the brand and the business, while also giving them the space to explore and learn more about the distillation process. This hands-on journey has helped them develop a deeper understanding of flavour, aroma, botanicals and production, along with the complexities of translating a place, an idea or a story into liquid form.
As the brand continues to grow, James and Jeremy remain focused on establishing Wildfire Gin’s place in the world of Scottish Gin. Collaboration, people, places and adventures continue to fuel their imagination and drive the brand forward, one exciting step at a time.
Madge Wildfire Gin is a London Dry Scottish Gin and the signature Scottish Gin from Wildfire Gin. Botanicals include black gooseberry and gorse flower, along with a selection of classic gin botanicals including juniper and orange peels. The recipe is built around a classic juniper-led gin profile, with juniper providing the piney, resinous foundation. Gorse flower adds distinctive, soft floral notes with subtle hints of coconut and vanilla-like sweetness. Orange peels add bright citrus, while black gooseberry brings a deeper tart berry character with gentle earthy undertones.
On the nose, piney juniper leads with a clear classic gin character. This is followed by soft floral notes from the gorse flower, with hints of coconut, light vanilla and meadow flowers. Orange peels add a bright citrus lift, while deeper berry notes and a subtle aromatic warmth add depth in the background.
On the palate, juniper provides structure and balance before the floral sweetness of gorse flower develops across the mid-palate. Orange peels bring a fresh citrus brightness, balanced by tart black gooseberry and a gentle earthy quality. The gin has a layered profile, moving between piney, floral, fruity and citrus notes without losing its classic gin foundation.
On the finish, lingering juniper is joined by soft floral sweetness, light citrus peels and a subtle tart berry note. A gentle aromatic warmth remains, giving the gin a rounded finish with a distinctive Scottish botanical character.
The Madge Wildfire Gin recipe was inspired by Madge Wildfire, the character from Sir Walter Scott’s 1818 novel ‘The Heart of Midlothian’, Scotland’s flora, landscape and the brand’s wider sense of adventure and exploration.
Key Botanical(s): Black Gooseberry, Gorse Flowers, Orange Peels
Gin Style: London Dry Scottish Gin
Strength: 43% ABV
Goes great with: A twist of orange peel, tonic and ice.
Merchant’s Flame Gin is a Distilled Scottish Gin from Wildfire Gin. The gin is built around the vivid citrus character of blood orange and the slow-building warmth of long pepper, supported by a selection of classic gin botanicals and warming spices. Botanicals include blood orange, dried cherry, a selection of classic gin botanicals and a carefully selected range of aromatic, spice-led botanicals including allspice, black peppercorns, cloves and long pepper.
The recipe is built around a classic juniper-led gin profile, with juniper providing the piney, resinous backbone. Blood orange adds bright, juicy citrus with a slightly bittersweet edge, while long pepper brings earthy warmth, subtle floral notes and a gentle smoky spice.
On the nose, bright blood orange leads with fresh citrus oils and a vivid aromatic lift. This is followed by piney juniper and a warming spice character from long pepper, black peppercorns and cloves. Beneath the citrus and spice, there are subtle hints of dried fruit, earthy root botanicals and gentle smoky warmth.
On the palate, juicy citrus brightness leads, bringing a slightly bittersweet character without becoming overly sweet. Juniper provides structure and balance, before warming peppery heat begins to develop across the mid-palate with earthy warmth, floral spice and subtle smoky depth. There is also a tart fruit quality that sits behind the citrus. The profile is layered and expressive, moving between citrus, piney juniper, tart fruit and spice while retaining a clear classic gin foundation.
On the finish, lingering citrus is joined by warm pepper spice, piney juniper and a subtle fruit note. Spiced botanicals slowly build into a warming, rich spice note before developing further into dry citrus spice.
Inspired by historic trade routes, botanical merchants, traders and travellers, the recipe for Merchant’s Flame Gin explores the idea of flavour, spices and citrus moving across continents, arriving in new places and creating new sensory experiences. Some of the flavours and aromas also capture the essence of sitting around an open campfire, with hints of smoke and warmth, surrounded by nature.
Key Botanical(s): Blood Orange Peels, Cloves, Long Pepper
Gin Style: Distilled Scottish Gin
Strength: 41% ABV
Goes great with: A wedge of blood orange, tonic and ice.
Learn more about Wildfire Gin by visiting the links below.