Scottish Gin News

It would seem that January 2022 can go on record as the longest month of all time, or at least that is our experience! The buzz of Christmas is well and truly behind us but we can see Valentine’s Day in our sights and we spotted our first snowdrop of the year, so we’re officially skipping the rest of winter and moving straight into Spring! There were a number of new gin releases to keep our spirits up and some exciting Scottish Gin news and coverage as the sector continues to move at pace… even in a slow month!

New Scottish Gins & Special Releases

Highland Liquor Company 2020 Isle Martin Gin

The Highland Liquor Company launched the 2020 Isle Martin Gin, which is the second release of this limited edition collaboration. Isle Martin is an uninhabited island on Loch Broom, overlooking Ullapool on the west coast of Scotland. The isle is looked after by the Isle Martin Trust, which is community owned. The trust is responsible for management and preservation of the island’s natural beauty and they approached the team at the Highland Liquor Company in 2019 to discuss development of the first Isle Martin Gin. The botanicals featured in this gin were foraged exclusively from Isle Martin with £10 from the sale of each bottle going back to Isle Martin Trust.

Learn more about Highland Liquor Company here.

Linlithgow Distillery Berry LinGin 

This fruit filled Berry gin features the classic botanical mix of juniper, coriander, angelica and orris root, with the distillery’s signature meadowsweet and orange alongside. Fresh blackcurrants and raspberries are specially sourced from Craigie’s Fruit Farm, just over ten miles from Linlithgow. The result is a gin that has a classic gin base of juniper, citrus and floral layered with fresh red berries to create a refreshing, light and flavoursome unsweetened pink gin, perfect for Valentines. Originally released in 2021 as ‘Mum’s Gin’, this version is bottled in the new bespoke Linlithgow Distillery bottle that was launched last year.

Learn more about Linlithgow Distillery here.

Kinrara Distillery Cabernet Franc Cask Aged Gin

The latest limited edition Cabernet cask aged gin from Kinrara Distillery, this time aged in a Cabernet Franc cask from the renowned Château Teyssier in the Saint-Émilion appellation in Bordeaux. The result is a gin that features bold juniper with sweet, rich candied orange peel transitioning to floral and tropical notes with soft citrus and delicious vanilla. This is a limited edition gin with only 350 bottles available exclusively from the Kinrara website.

Learn more about Kinrara Distillery here.

Shetland Reel Up Helly Aa Gin 2022 Edition

Since 2015, the Saxa Vord distillery has released an annual limited edition cask aged gin to celebrate the island’s much loved Up Helly Aa fire festival. It’s proved more and more difficult to get hold of year on year, with last year’s ‘not Up Helly Aa’ gin selling out in four hours on pre-order. Thankfully they’ve produced 500 bottles this year to meet demand. The 2022 release has been aged in casks which were previously used to store Stewart’s Rum – a popular tipple throughout the Shetland Isles.

Learn more about Shetland Reel here.

Isle of Harris Distillers Valentine’s Packaging

The Tarbert based distillery has launched special edition Valentine’s cards, providing their customers with a unique and romantic gift option, alongside their purchase of Harris Gin. A series of four specially designed Valentine’s cards, each uncovering four strange old courting rituals from the Outer Hebrides, will be offered with a personalised handwritten message at no extra cost. Learn more about Love in the Isle of Harris here.

Learn more about Isle of Harris Distillers here.

News

Scottish Gin features on Channel 4 Sunday Brunch

Olivier Ward, founder of Spirits Beacon and well respected spirits communicator provided some Scottish Gin inspired alternatives for Burns Night as part of his regular spirits section on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch show. Olivier selected distilleries that not only make whisky but also Scottish Gin and showcased three of Scotland’s growing gin brands.

Hills & Harbour Gin from Crafty Distillery based in Newton Stewart in Dumfries & Galloway, Height of Arrows Gin from Holyrood Distillery based in Edinburgh and island producer Tobermory who are based on the Isle of Mull – all wonderful in their own unique way and a credit to the talent and diversity within the Scottish Gin sector.

Isle of Tiree Distillery announce new Scottish Gin school experience

Along with gin distillery tours, visitors to the Isle of Tiree Distillery can now book a Scottish Gin experience. Each Scottish Gin school session starts with a distillery tour where guests can learn more about the distilling process, before creating their own Scottish Gin recipe using a selection of the available botanicals.

Using a miniature traditional copper alembic still, you’ll be guided through the distillation process as your gin creation begins to flow off the still whilst you sit, sip and enjoy a selection of gins and serves from the Tyree Gin range.

Distillery Tours will run from 3-4pm, Monday – Saturday and the Tyree Gin School will run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12-3pm. Discover more and book experiences here.

Learn more about Tyree Gin here.

Dunnet Bay Distillers progress new distillery

The team at Dunnet Bay Distillers, the makers of Rock Rose Gin, have submitted plans for their new distillery and visitor centre. A short drive from their existing distillery overlooking Dunnet Bay in Caithness, the Castletown Mill will be the new home for Dunnet Bay Distillers and will include whisky production. The Castletown Mill is 200 years old and was sitting derelict until Martin and Claire, who drive past the building on nearly a daily basis, had the ambitions of one day taking over the site.

Over a year in discussions between co-founders Martin and Claire Murray and architects, surveyors, conservationists and more, the first stage of plans have been submitted to the local council for review. If planning is granted, the restoration and fit-out of the refurbished building could cost up to £4million and will include employment of up to 12 more staff.

The site will also be transformed to incorporate a cafe space, tours, cover the history and heritage of the site and local area and will provide Martin, Claire and their team new opportunities for growing their business and family of Scottish spirits. Read more about the development here.

Learn more about Dunnet Bay Distillers here.

The Gin Cooperative Features January 2022

Here’s a look back at the editorial features we published in January 2022.

Scottish Gin News Round-Up December – read it here.

2021: A Year in Scottish Gin – read it here.

Look through our archive of Scottish Gin news here.