Gin
Palace of Holyroodhouse launches first gin infused with herbs from historical garden
The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish seat of the Royal Family, has launched its first gin – infused with herbs from the historical garden. The Dry Gin is infused with mint and lemon thyme which have been hand-picked from the Physic Garden for their vibrant flavour. Inspired by the garden’s history of cultivating medicinal and…
Read MoreOutlander star Sam Heughan’s new Wild Scottish Gin comes to the UK
Tom Kitchin’s restaurants will become the first place in the UK to serve up Outlander star Sam Heughan’s new Wild Scottish Gin The Sassenach Gin is the Scottish actor’s second spirit, after the successful launch of his whisky last year. A London dry-style gin, it is distilled with an array of foraged botanicals from the…
Read MoreTours and tastings at the secret garden distillery
THERE’s no need to keep it under your hat, because the secret is well and truly out, writes Morag Bootland. Sitting at the base of the Pentland hills, just a stone’s throw from Edinburgh, the Secret Garden Distillery first opened its gates in 2017. Having visited the distillery and its beautiful gardens many times over…
Read MoreDrinks news round-up: Beer, gin, and more
Peter Ranscombe pours another measure of drinks news. ALCOHOL-FREE beer maker Jump Ship Brewing is launching a £300,000 crowdfunding campaign to build its own brewery at Rosemain Steadings in Midlothian. Managing director Sonja Mitchell, who launched her brand in 2019, will create three jobs at the brewery, and a further ten posts over the next…
Read MoreSpirits news from the Hebrides
THREE spirits stalwarts on the Outer Hebrides are having a busy start to the year. Angus A MacMillan and Angus E MacMillan, the father-and-son team building Benbecula distillery, have unveiled the first three bottles from MacMillan Spirits. They’ve launched: “Wheelhouse Whisky”, an eight-year-old single cask Islay single malt; “Machair Gin”, a gin that contains heather…
Read MoreDrinks news round-up: Barra, Curling, and more
Peter Ranscombe serves up another helping of drinks news. ISLE of Barra distillery has unveiled the new bottle for its Atlantic gin. The bottle is made from 78% recycled glass, meaning no two bottles will look the same. The company is also cutting its supply chain’s carbon footprint by selecting Allied Glass to make the…
Read MoreGin Extremes: From Shetland to Scilly
Drinks blogger James Robertson reviews gin from either end of the UK. WHO would have thought that you would find a gin distillery on the southern tip of the UK on the island of St Mary’s, part of the Isles of Scilly, and then 776 miles as the crow flies there is another one on…
Read MoreSecret Garden Distillery bought by Admiral founder
THE founder of insurer Admiral Group has bought the Secret Garden Distillery on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Kate Armstrong was one of the founders of Admiral and was the founding managing director of price comparison website Confused.com Her daughters, Isobel and Imogen, will run the distillery and focus on brand and product development. Head distiller…
Read MoreREVIEW: Kerr’s Navy Strength Gin
Drinks blogger James Robertson samples Kerr’s Navy Strength Gin from The Borders Distillery. IF YOU have not tried the original Kerr’s Gin then you should, however this is a limited edition run of 2,022 bottles of a navy strength version distilled at 57.1% alcohol by volume (ABV). Made by John Fordyce and the team at…
Read MoreGin, rum, and whisky brands unveil new looks
THREE of Scotland’s gin, rum, and whisky labels have revealed fresh designs for their bottles. Isle of Raasay Distillery took inspiration from its island’s geology for its new bottle. The shape of its glass is moulded from real rocks, fossils, and Raasay juniper. Local botanist Stephen Bungard helped the distillery hand-pick juniper on the island,…
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