A leading Scottish gin distiller has returned to its roots for its newest release.
Oak Old Tom Gin is the first limited edition release from Eden Mill’s exclusive new ultra-premium gin collection, Distiller’s Choice.
Personally curated and hand-crafted by Eden Mill’s expert senior distilling team, Distiller’s Choice is a collection of contemporary gin expressions which embrace the best of old and new distilling techniques to create a range of gins specially for connoisseurs across the globe to enjoy a taste of St Andrews.
CEO and co-founder Tony Kelly said: ‘Eden Mill has always been at the forefront of trends within the spirits industry and we pride ourselves on our pioneering spirit and desire to go beyond the conventional.
‘We started in 2012 with the mission to revive the lost art of distilling and brewing in St Andrews by creating small-batch, craft products from our site on the bank of the Eden Estuary.
‘With our Distiller’s Choice range, we’d like to take our audience back to our roots when our distilling team would create various small-batch gin expressions and experiment with techniques and flavours.’
A lightly spiced, creamy gin, Oak Old Tom Gin has been chosen by Eden Mill’s Head Distiller, Scott Ferguson to be the first release of the collection.
The gin combines Scott’s passion for classic gin distilling practices with his unrivalled experience building your favourite Eden Mill flavour profiles since 2012, when he was the third person to join the Eden Mill team.
Scott has always found the distilling method and history of Old Tom Gin fascinating: ‘One of the lightly sweetened gins that was popular in 18th-century, Old Tom Gin has been rumoured to have got its name from what was essentially the first ever vending machine for drinks.
‘During the gin craze in the 1700s, the government tried to stem the flow of gin, which they blamed for “extreme drunkenness” and crime by introducing prohibitive taxes. So to get round the licensing, some pubs would have a wooden plaque shaped like a black cat, “Old Tom” on their outside wall. Thirsty bypassers would place a penny in the cat’s mouth and place their lips around a small tube between the cat’s paws. The bartender inside would then pour a shot of gin through the tube and into the customer’s waiting mouth.’
Inspired by one his favourite flavour creations from the core Eden Mill range, Scott used the same American Oak chips from Eden Mill’s Oak Gin to age this Old Tom Gin to create a balance of creamy oak and vanilla sweetness combined with the aromatic cassia spice and a light peppery finish.
Eden Mill’s Distiller’s Choice Oak Old Tom Gin (£40) is available from today, from edenmill.com/oakoldtom. Discover more about the full Distiller’s Choice Collection at edenmill.com/distillerschoice.
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