Braw Liquor Club

CALLING all cocktail connoisseurs! Looking for something a bit different this festive season? Introducing Braw Liquor Club, locally sourced small batch bottled cocktails from the Isle of Bute, expertly crafted with premium Scottish ingredients.

Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Mackirdy founded the company less than a year ago, and already her tasty concoctions are making a splash, having scooped a Gold and Silver at the 2022 Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards.

Lizzie discovered that there was a lack of premium ready to drink cocktails using ingredients with a Scottish provenance, so she set out to formulate her own version with a little help from industry experts. Her idea was to create a contemporary twist on the classics. For the Old Fashioned, there is the addition of Sea Tangle, and in the Bramble, there is a hint of Gooseberry.

‘For example, an Old Fashioned would normally have an American bourbon, however as a Scottish take on that, I have used a Speyside whisky and paired it with seaweed from the East Neuk of Fife for a smooth sip, with a hint of oakiness and a salty finish,’ Lizzie said. ‘The gin is from Aboyne in Royal Deeside, and in addition to traditional blackberries, it is finished off with Scottish gooseberries for a combination of sweet and sour notes.’

Lizzie’s beautiful product packaging in collaboration with Ewan at My Creative was selected as a finalist in the 2022 Scottish Design Awards and reflects her brand’s product, it’s ethos and the place where it is created.

‘I am so proud of our minimal design identity and label system that Ewan created, and it really reflects the mixologist’s craft when layering flavours and spirits together, to create a delicious cocktail,’ Lizzie shared. ‘The shape depicts the glass used for that drink. The flavour profiles were also used to represent the Scottish landscape in layers of colour forming a mountain range or seascape.’

All BLC cocktails are made in small batches with only the highest quality natural, locally sourced ingredients. They are 100% vegan and contain no gluten, dairy or allergens. They also pack a braw punch compared to your regular ready to drink blend, with 21% ABV for the Old Fashioned, and 15% ABV for the Gooseberry Cocktail.

‘Braw Liquor Club is a treat to be sipped and savoured,’ explained Lizzie. ‘A drink for any special occasion to share with family and friends. We are offering a real point of difference that people want to share online and have sitting on their bar cart. You can find our customers posting online in our BLC at home folder on Instagram.’

Braw Liquor Club cocktails are meant for the festive season, whether you are sharing them with the people you love, or gifting them to the epicure who has everything. Shop online at www.brawliquorclub.com, with free postage on orders over £50. You can also find BLC at select outlets, including Crieff Food Hall, Loch Leven’s Larder, Loch Fyne Oyster Bar Deli, Craft 56 and Master of Malt, as well as leading independent online retailers such as The Scottish Gantry. And be sure to share your photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @brawliquorclub

Plus, read more of the stories behind the goodies inside the Scottish Field Christmas hamper.