Gin and Other Sins Magazine

gin and other sins FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

SOMETHING SPECIAL

Twisted Classics: Learn how to make your new favourite... a Gin-ito

Commence your sensory journey with Deerness Distillery’s award winning spirits.

Scotland’s Top 15: We take a look at Scotland’s finest gins

e Join th ht Nig y a d i r F ub Gin Cl

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Orkney Gin Company is a family run business based in Orkney, a stunning set of Islands off the north coast of Scotland.

The botanicals found growing in Orkney’s wild environment have formed the basis of our multi-award winning gins. Although we are only a small family run business, Orkney Gin Company boasts a vast array of both national and global awards for our gins.

At Orkney Gin Company we take pride in hand crafting our gins using traditional age old techniques passed down through generations. Our gin is distilled seven times to ensure it is of the highest quality and taste. Once distilled, our hand selected botanicals are added in several stages, a process which takes time and patience. At each step, the gin is sampled, then when it’s finally ready, the spirit is carefully filtered, hand bottled, and hand labelled by a member of our family.

At Orkney Gin Company we strongly believe that keeping to traditional methods perfectly creates our truly unique seasonal gins - with distinct taste, colour, and smell reflecting the Islands we call home.

We use local botanicals which would have been used in the past for cooking and drinks making in Orkney. Our family select and hand-pick many of these botanicals from the rugged land around us. Other botanicals such as mint are grown in our garden and carefully selected when ready.

Our logo depicts a Selkie-Woman. The elusive the elusive selkie-folk - seals which are able to cast their skin and assume human form - were said to be mysterious and alluring. The tales of their interactions with humans have been passed down through generations of Orcadians and on to our bottles today.

Johnsmas

Mikkelmas

Johnsmas - meaning 'mid summer' in old Orcadian, is a floral and fragrant gin crafted using a variety of hand picked and seasonal botanicals that capture the clean and refreshing floral notes of an Orcadian summer.

Bold, seasonal botanicals make up our Mikkelmas gin, which captures the spirit of the Mikkelfeast - ‘harvest time’ here in Orkney, creating a spiced, silky smooth warming gin.

Rhubarb Old Tom Made to a traditional Old Tom style which originates in the 18th century, Rhubarb Old Tom is a lightly sweetened full strength rhubarb gin, made using botanicals which compliment Scotland’s seasonal rhubarb.

Our latest creation is something very special!

Irresistibly silky Sloe & Crow Gin in a gorgeous 20cl stoneware bottle, with its carefully selected perfect pairing – Franklin and Sons Lemon Tonic Water – in a unique gift box. Each set has been lovingly bottled and hand labelled by a member of our family business.

Sloe & Crow came from Gary and Andrea’s (the couple who founded Orkney Gin Company in 2015) favourite recipes to enjoy when the weather is a little colder. The fruity, yet velvety sloe, and handpicked Orcadian crowberries have been steeped in our juniper led gin and carefully stirred over several months, as the daylight shortens.

Orkney Gin Company, Burray, Orkney, KW17 2SS Tel: 01856 731 700 | Email: info@orkneygincompany.com www.orkneygincompany.com

This creates a dark, rich gin, at 37.5% with deep chocolate and powerful berry notes.

We love to drink our Sloe & Crow with Lemon tonic, ice and a garnish of lemon. If you’re looking for something extraordinary, why not try it with some of your favourite bubbly?

Limited bottles available

Welcome EDITOR’S LETTER

MEET THE TEAM Reece Faizy Project Manager

Alicia Dickens Head of Design Jenny Davies Senior Designer Chris Casey Sales/Accounts Andy Clayton Advertising Dan Bush Advertising Carlos Video Production 02 Orkney Gin Company

Sal Alam Editor/Writer

Gin and Other Sins Magazine Warrington Business Centre, Warrington, Cheshire, WA2 7JQ 0800 830 3659 info@ginandothersinsmagazine.co.uk www.ginandothersinsmagazine.co.uk

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We’ve curated the Gin and Other Sins Magazine to satisfy the demands of our 5,000 strong membership base. Our ‘Gin and Other Sins’ magazine, is full of articles, editorials, cocktail recipes, and all things gin!

We are working with a selection of the best gin distilleries in the United kingdom aiming to provide an expert, in depth overview of the gin industry.

Craft distilleries will feature alongside one another to give our members an unrivalled selection of some of the best gins available in the UK. Whether you’re new to the gin game, or a timeserved and seasoned distilling master we can’t wait for you to read this magazine, learn some new favourite recipes.

We hope you love this magazine as much as we do. In this edition we explore some of Scotland’s best gins, explore the newest garnish trends on the market and even learn some new facts. Plus, you’ll get to find out more about the owner of Gin and Other Sins, Eric Healing.

So here it is, the latest edition of Gin and Other Sins; the magazine that is celebrating Gin and Associated Sins.

CONTENTS RECIPES 10 Gin-ito Our latest favourite twisted classic that’s easy to make at home 20 The Ginger Collins 23 Sweet Paradise 28 Cucumber Cooler

14 Gin of the month: Deerness Distillery

21 Darnley’s Gin 22 Bardowie Gin

18 Stirling Distillery 22 Jaw Brew 18 Comacina Gin 24 Ellis Gin 19 G in Subscriptions Find out more about the Friday Night Club subscriptions

02 Orkney Gin Company 04 Editor’s Letter

25 Rule Gin 26 Friday Night Gin Club Learn about the specialist retailers in small batch Gins and the benefits you get from being a member 29 Gin & Tea Find out how the Copper Star Distillery are creating a gin with a difference

06 An introduction to Gin and Other Sins...

Learn more about where Gin and Other Sins came from

30 Oakbank Products

08 Robertsons of Pitlochry

32 The rise and rise of Scottish Gin

11 Cairngorm Gin

36 Sutors Gin 38 Isle of Skye Distillers

EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE 12 Gin facts 16 Scotland’s Top 15 34 In Review: Non-Alcoholic Spirits 42 Our favourite garnishes

44 Badachro 46 The Wee Farm Distillery 48 Solway Spirits 50 Ginti Gin 51 How to make your own Gin Ever wanted to make your own Gin at home? Well now you can by following this simple recipe

gin and other sins | 5

An introduction to Gin and Other Sins...

The alcohol trade has always been big business. But it is only recently that it also became small business.

Changes in regulation in the UK over recent years have opened up the world of craft distilling, and in the same way that craft chocolate making improved the range and quality of chocolate that we can buy, craft distilling has transformed the gin market.

Supporting this booming market of smaller craft businesses is our passion here at Gin and Other Sins.

And what a variety of craft distillers we have here in the UK. Some focus on producing gin using age old recipes using primitive distilling method used from the early days of gin production, others bring new technology such as vacuum distilling to push the boundaries of what distilling can mean, whilst other focus on developing new flavours, carefully balancing the juniper with a myriad of new flavours and colours.

Most new development in the gin market have come from the craft scene and many have then been copied by the industry big players to create variants you will find in your local supermarket.

Without a vibrant craft scene, we would lose our innovation, style and creativity.

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Eric Healing

So where did Gin and Other Sins come from?

I decided to create my own distillery in 2015 with a couple of gins; Wirral Gin and Pink Dog Gin. Wirral Gin a traditional London Dry Style gin but with a focus on Wirral’s own adopted shrub, Bog Myrtle. Bog Myrtle is such wonderful plant, used to make beer way before hops were readily available, it has a long history. It also helped to create the name of the wonderful part of the UK that I come from; WirHeal (now Wirral) is literally translated as Bog Myrtle corner as we were named in the 8th century by our early settlers.

In gin, Bog Myrtle provides a floral nose which evolves on the tongue to become a rich spice.

Pink Dog Gin came about after we acquired a lovely Vizsla puppy which we named Pink - our cat is called Floyd which may give you some insight into my musical tastes. At the time it was impossible to find a good rose infused gin and I had developed a recipe using edible rose petals that really met the challenge. I also decided the gin had to be pink. This was about the time that Lord Sugar and his gang of industry experts were scoffing at their apprentices’ audacity to produce a coloured gin. “You can’t colour a gin!

You’re fired!”. Hmm. Over the next couple of years I gathered a small team of talented distillers into our now flourishing distillery business and let loose their creative talents, resulting in the a wide range of artisan gins some of which you will see on the front cover of this magazine.

As with any craft industry networking with other producers is really important, there is very little competitive behaviours in the craft market, just support and ideas sharing.

It is this that led me to my next challenge. I decided to start a venture that would allow smaller craft distillers to showcase their gins to a wide audience of gin lovers without having to commit to producing huge levels of gin that would stretch their capacity.

The Friday Night Gin Club was born, a club where we send out miniature bottles of gin to our customers, they get to try a wide variety of gins and then purchase from their favourite craft gin makers. This magazine is an extension of our work to encourage craft distilling in the UK. To sign up to the Friday Night Gin Club go to fridaynightginclub.com/join to help support our wonderful craft gin market here in the UK. Eric Healing, Founder of Gin and Other Sins and The Friday Night Gin Club.

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OF

P I T L O C H RY

AWARD WINNING WHISKY AND GIN RETAILER

No matter how much time you have available to spend in Pitlochry, we have the whisky or gin experience available to you.

Our unique style of whisky and gin tasting experiences are available every day of the week in the authentic Scottish and highland setting of Bothy Bar & Tasting Room at Robertsons of Pitlochry. The Bothy Bar is also open for drinks only if you fancy a quick dram or two.

If you have a thirst for more knowledge on your chosen flight, our Expert’s Guide to Whisky/ Gin is for you. Hear about the production of your chosen spirits, ask questions and head our expert’s take. Ideal for bus tour groups who have a limited amount of time in Pitlochry.

All our experiences start with a flight of whiskies or gins chosen from our carefully crafted selection of flavour options covering a variety of styles and tastes.

For a complete experience with full expert-led knowledge sharing on your chosen whisky or gin, its history, production methods and the secrets on how to taste like a professional and how to buy right, choose our whisky/Gin Masterclass. As well as the four drinks on your chosen flight, you will also have the opportunity to taste an additional drink from the selection to try our your new tasting knowledge and skills.

If you would like a little more information on your chosen flight, why not upgrade to one of our Expert-Led experiences?

If time is limited, we have our introduction to Whisky/Gin experience. This short 10-15 minute overview provides an expert snapshot of your chosen flight delivered by a member of the award-winning Robertsons of Pitlochry team.

Bothy Bar & Tasting Room

Book ANY of our gin tasting experiences and if you purchase a 70cl bottle of gin afterwards, you will receive a FREE gin goblet. Ideal for recreating your perfect serve gin back at home.

Whisky

Gin

Address: 44-46 Atholl Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5BX Call: +44(0)1796 472011 Email: info@robertsonsofpitlochry.co.uk Website: robertsonsofpitlochry.co.uk

Book ANY of our whisky experiences and you will receive a voucher for £5 off a total purchase of £50 or more OR spend a minimum of £25 and choose to receive a FREE Glencairn whisky glass instead.

For our complete range of whisky and gin, visit our online shop on our website

o t i n Gi

COCKTAIL RECIPE

Want a twisted classic?

This yummy cocktail is a must on any gin-lovers cocktail list and is easy to make at home.

Ingredients 40ml Gin 1 Lime 30ml Sugar Syrup 20 Mint Leaves 175ml Soda

Method 1. Slice the lime in half. Cut one of the halves into small wedges and drop them into a cocktail shaker.

Squeeze the juice of the other half into the shaker.

2. Add 15 mint leaves, the ice cubes, the sugar syrup and then the Gin. Screw on the lid. Shake the cocktail shaker vigorously for 1 minute.

3. Unscrew the lid, then add the soda and remaining mint leaves.

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Inspired by the land we live in Experience the spirit of the Scottish Highlands in a bottle; small batch, hand-crafted premium distilled Cairngorm Gin. Nestled in a valley beneath the wild and breathtaking Cairngorms mountain range in the Highlands of Scotland, the Cairngorm Gin Company was established in 2019. One of Scotland’s newest micro-distilleries, we passionately distil and bottle our small batch premium spirit using only the finest botanicals and crystal clear water from the River Spey. Bringing you Cairngorm Gin... From our hearts to your home.

Cairngorm Gin founder, Jack Smith, was born and raised in the valley of the River Spey, in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. His family has lived in the Cairngorms National Park for decades, sharing a love and respect for the outdoors and the native flora and fauna that surrounds their home.

A Still named Ginger

Botanicals

Our Perfect Serve

The Copper Pot Still "Ginger", is aptly named after Jack's late grandfather, a great character rather partial to a Gin and Tonic! In fact, he always maintained it was easier to make a G&T than a "cup of tea".

Influenced by the diverse and pristine Cairngorms National Park, we use nine botanicals and the freshest water from the River Spey, which we collect and filter ourselves, to produce Cairngorm Gin.

We say ‘each to their own’ when it comes to enjoying our gin, but we recommend serving neat over ice or with premium tonic, a slice of green apple, a raspberry and a blackberry. Share your perfect serve with us via our social channels - we would love to see how you enjoy your Cairngorm Gin.

In memory of his grandfather, it is tradition to toast "Ginger" with a dram from each batch distilled.

Here at Cairngorm Gin, we wanted to create a truly unique gin taking inspiration from the land we live in. In doing so, we discovered the Cloudberry, once abundant in the Cairngorms National Park but now extremely rare. As a result of this, we sourced the finest Cloudberries from Scandanavia to give our customers the opportunity to taste their long-forgotten flavour. To our knowledge, we were the first gin in the UK to use the Cloudberry as a key botanical. Upon development, we discovered these amber coloured berries shared a flavour profile with a raspberry and a blackberry, which is why these can be found in our perfect serve to enhance the Cloudberry tones. We hope you enjoy Cairngorm Gin as much as we do.

Cairngorm Gin Company Ltd, Carr-bridge, Scottish Highlands, PH23 3AD Telephone: 07764 365 702 Email: info@cairngormgin.com Website: cairngormgin.com

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12GIN FACTS

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Gin is made from Juniper berries

Experts say the best way to try gin is at room temperature

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2

Gin is originally from Holland

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Juniper berries are full of antioxidants so gin’s good for you... right?

The first ever cocktail recipe book contained a gin cocktail

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The Philippines is the country with the highest gin consumption in the world

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Gin also used to be known as Mothers Ruin

There are six types of gin that you can buy currently

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3

London Dry Gin doesn’t need to be made in London

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Gin was once used as a form of herbal medicine

Bathtub gin was a style of cheap produced gin. At times it was lethal

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More than 66m bottles of gin were sold in 2018 gin and other sins | 13

Deerness Distillery spirits are a must try if you are looking for an exclusive premium gin or vodka.

In 2017 founders Stuart and Adelle Brown opened Orkney’s first new distillery in over 130 years to produce stunning artisan products that have gone on to win multiple awards for their distinctive flavour. Most recently, their ‘Sea Glass Gin’ was crowned the UK’s best classic gin in the Great British Food Awards 2019, judged by Raymond Blanc. Deerness Distillery also produce ‘Scuttled Gin’ a fantastic wintery gin, with subtle cinnamon and pepper spice with undertones of lemon, and the UK’s most northerly distilled vodka, ‘Into the Wild’.

The distillery off the northern coast of Scotland also boasts a beautiful shop, tours and tastings.

Botanicals The distillery has just completed the build of their poly-tunnel, which will enable them to grow the majority of their botanicals on site in 2020 ensuring sustainability and a reduced carbon footprint. In 2019 the distillery grew their own barley crop to enable them to distil a test batch grain spirit for their whisky and also to be used in their gin and vodka ‘Grain to Glass’, not many distilleries do this, grow their own barley on site!!

The Future The distillery is in final planning stages for a onsite cafe / bar and expanded tour room and gift shop for visitors to enjoy, they are also planning a small batch malt whisky and rum to accompany their existing gin, vodka and liqueurs, the future is bright for Deerness Distillery.

Tours, Tastings and Shop

Deerness Distillery Ltd, Newhall, Deerness, Orkney, KW17 2QJ, Scotland 01856 741264 info@deernessdistillery.com www.deernessdistillery.com

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Crowned the UK’s best classic gin in the Great British Food Awards 2019, judged by Raymond Blanc.

Warm spices

Pepp e midd ry note le s

Citrus

Junipe

r

Carefully crafted

Laven der & min t

Spicy le cassia mon bark

r

Junipe

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Scotland’s Top 15 We take a look as some of Scotland’s best distilleries and brands

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44 pg.

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Badachro Gin is making a big name for itself as a top highlands Scottish gin where locals, visitors and professionals alike love the fresh and unique taste of our gin

Misty Isle Gin has been a long time in the making. It’s become something of a passion.

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08

22 Robertsons of Pitlochry is an independent specialist Gin, Whisky and Spirit merchants and tasting venue.

From these humble beginnings, Stirling Gin has grown into a nationallyrecognised spirit.

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30 pg.

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The Wee Farm distillerys aim is to offer locally produced craft Scottish gin that can be enjoyed with the best of Scotland’s Larder.

Whether you’re dipping bottles or applying a brand enhancing seal to your packaging we have a range of waxes to suit your specific requirements.

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Ellis gin is a small batch Scottish gin carefully crafted in Glasgow. Mixed with hand selected botanicals and macerated to create beautiful colours. A delight to all senses!

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Solway Spirits is a small batch craft distillery located on the majestic Solway Coast in South West Scotland, using British suppliers when ever possible for the highest quality ingredients.

pg.

14 pg.

02 Situated in the beautiful Parish of Deerness on the east mainland of Orkney, an archipelago off the north-eastern coast of Scotland.

Orkney’s rich culture of traditions formed the inspiration behind each distinct taste.

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One of Scotland’s newest microdistilleries, we passionately distil and bottle our small batch premium spirit using only the finest botanicals and crystal clear water from the River Spey.

Sutors Gin is an expression of place, from the fields that grow our grain to the mountains where our juniper has grown for centuries to the beaches where many of our key botanicals grow.

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From these humble beginnings, Stirling Gin has grown into a nationally-recognised spirit.

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Each bottle of Darnley’s Gin begins with the highest quality British grown grain spirit and the finest botanical ingredients.

Out of an initial list of 13 ingredients, four that were grown or gathered where the Hazells lived were chosen to contribute to the flavour of Bardowie Gin.

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Friday 6th November -

An Evening of Questions, Answers and Gin! Stirling Distillery, The Old Smiddy, Lower Castle Hill, Stirling, FK8 1EN

Join us for an exclusive tasting at Stirling Distillery, hosted by four of Scotland’s best gin brands.

Saturday 7th November -

The Main Event Golden Lion Hotel, King Street, Stirling, FK8 1BD

6th & 7th November 2020

Returning for our 7th annual Stirling Gin Festival, Central Scotland’s first, biggest and best Gin Festival!

Session 1: 12:45 - 16:15 Session 2: 17:00 - 20:30

For more information/tickets going on sale please go to www.stirlinggin.co.uk

a Take

look

Heritage & Innovation

Comacina Gin is a new deep flavoured and light fruity white melberry Dry Gin, inspirated by the beauty of Comacina Island, the Dolcevita memories of Como Lake and its atmospheres. A secret recipe, a signature botanical infusion, fresh and full bodied, create through a selection of hand picked herbs including juniper, sage, coriander, iris roth and greek oregano. Comacina Gin is an aromatic experience inspirated by a five hundred years old history, about a silkworm, his favourite food, the white mulberry and Duke Ludovico il Moro, passionated about the Silk Way. Comacina Gin is a sophisticated combination infused by a fourth generation Italian Master Distillery.

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www.comacinagin.com Instagram: @comacinagin

We love Gin subscription services. We are at the peak of creativity and passion in the development of small batch spirits. There has never been a better time to enjoy the spirits from such a broad range of skilled pioneers in the development of new tastes and styles. A strength of these subscriptions is that they help spirit lovers find the best of these small batch spirits in a way that supermarkets just can’t.

The owners of subscription services work with small distilleries to ensure that they can supply, typically a few thousand bottles, and work on a supply date that doesn’t put too much pressure on the distillery.

A supermarket unfortunately can’t work in this way and will need to insist that a supplier can provide tens of thousands of bottles at short notice so that their customers are not disappointed when they turn up to the spirit isle expecting their favourite new tipple.

This excludes some of our best UK craft distillers from getting their products into these large supermarkets that make up some a large proportion of UK spirit sales.

GIN SUBSCRIPTIONS YOUR CHOICE When running a subscription service one of the challenges is to provide interesting craft spirits that will engage the customer and be something a bit different.

The more “different” a spirit chosen the more the spirit will divide opinion, leaving many subscribers with a full bottle that doesn’t quite match their taste.

So, when designing our full bottle subscription we were keen to work with a range of great small batch distilleries but we forgo the surprise element of the subscription in favour of giving our customers more choice. So, each month we will let our customers know which full bottle of spirits we recommend and if they don’t think it is one for them then they get to choose from a list of 20 or more other great craft Gins. Our list of Gins changes constantly so that a customer always has a great list of spirits to choose from.

Our subscription service is also one of the lowest priced clubs available at £26.99.

You can find out more at: fridaynightGinclub.com/Gin-of-the-month

gin and other sins | 19

COCKTAIL RECIPE

The Ginger Collins This Refreshing cocktail is a modern twist on the classic Tom Collins.

This luscious cocktail is perfect for cosy evenings.

INGREDIENTS 50ml Gin 25ml Lemon Juice 25ml Ginger Syrup 125ml Ginger Ale

METHOD Pour the lemon juice, ginger syrup and gin into a tall glass that’s half full of ice and stir to combine, then add the ginger ale, stir gently and garnish with a slice of lime.

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HANDCRAF TED IN FIFE, SCOTL AND

From oUr cottage distillery on tHe east cost oF scotland We craFt oUr aWard-Winning range oF gin on oUr still ‘dorotHy’.

We are passionate aboUt making great tasting spirit Using time-HonoUred skills and natUral ingredients. discover darnley’s Here @darnleysgin or visit darnleysgin.com

To make this unique gin, the starting point was to source the botanical ingredients from Bardowie.

Bayleaf, Bulrush, Blackcurrants and Ground Elder are hand-foraged botanicals from Bardowie Loch, Scotland.

One of Scotland’s Best Sma llBatch Gin s

THE CRAFT BEER FROM GLASGOW We are an independent and familyrun craft micro-brewery from Glasgow committed to bringing you the absolute pinnacle of high quality beer.

Jaw Brew produces a wide range of beers, from our much-loved core range, to special one-off brews.

Explore our award-winning craft beer and find out why we are one of Glasgow’s best breweries.

We strive to run our brewery in the most sustainable way possible, focusing hugely on the circular economy that is an alternative to the traditional linear economy of take, make and dispose.

We are extremely proud of the beer we produce.

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26 Crossveggate, Milngavie, Glasgow, Scotland, G62 6RA Telephone: 0141 237 5840 Email: info@jawbrew.co.uk Website: jawbrew.co.uk

Sweet Paradise COCKTAIL RECIPE

This fruity cocktail might just become your new favourite. It’s a recipe that you’ll want to make again and again.

Ingredients

Method

60ml Dry Gin 45ml Fresh Lemon Juice 30ml Mango Juice 1 tbsp Honey 2 Passion Fruits, Halved 1 Lime, Cut into slices Soda Water

1. In a small jug or cocktail shaker, combine the gin, lemon juice, mango juice, passion fruit pulp and seeds and honey. Give everything a good stir or shake.

2. Fill 2 highball glasses with ice and lime slices. Divide the gin mixture between each. Top up with soda water and garnish with a lime slice. Serve immediately.

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Scottish Gin Handcrafted with Love

Ellis is a premium small batch Scottish gin distilled in a micro distillery in Glasgow.

Handcrafted with labels individually numbered.

A delight to all the senses.

Email: info@ellisgin.com Phone: 07540162818 Website: ellisgin.com

Our Story Ellis (named after Carol’s daughter) was originally created as the base to the successful Gin & Mix cocktails. It was launched in September 2018 - designed to be different with two coloured flavoured gins which both change colour when mixer is added.

Carol Jackson Founder

In June 2019 Ellis Gin No.4 Pink Shimmer was added.

All the gins are a delight to the adventurous palate and gin connoisseurs alike. Lookout for some exciting new flavours in 2020.

Handcrafted with love Ellis No.2 Scottish Bramble Coloured and flavoured using Scottish Brambles - it is a lovely floral gin with a little spice. It is a vibrant red, when tonic is added it turns a gorgeous orange colour. Serve with tonic and slice or orange or with Ginger Ale - Delicious.

Ellis No.3 Butterf ly Pea Flavoured and coloured with the exotic and medicinal Asian botanical (Butterfly Pea). This gin takes a luscious blue colour from this flower and when tonic is added, turns a beautiful shade of lilac. Tastes fantastic with an Elderflower tonic.

Ellis No.4 Pink Shimmer Subtly flavoured and coloured using strawberries - a baby Pink colour with a shimmer added to make it even prettier. Serve with Lemonade or tonic and garnish with berries - So pretty.

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Our Story: Rule Gin came about mainly from my family's heritage, my forebearer Andrew Usher was one of the first blenders of Whisky back in the 1700's, he was given the acronym "Godfather of Whisky". Andrews son, also Andrew, went on to perfect the blending of Ushers Whisky, producing Ushers Green Stripe Blended Whisky which took over Brandy as the leading spirit in the UK. It was also one of the first whisky to be sold world wide.

His brother, John, was also in the industry and they both went on to create beers and open up the North British Distillery and many more throughout the UK.

Now with the world in a new era of distilling and spirits of all genres making a come back we found it time to rejoin the industry and bring to you a spirit of the modern day... our Rule Gin. With the best quality ingredients and distilled using our family knowledge we made a gin that is modern and traditional rolled into one. Smooth, fresh and delicate we wanted our spirit to be the one people come back to again and again.

We have loved making this gin and love the way it tastes, we hope you do too?

OUR WONDERFUL BOTANICALS: JUNIPER | CORIANDER SEED | ANGELICA ROOT | GRAINS OF PARADISE LIQUORICE | POMELO | CLOUDBERRIES

PHONE: Colin: 07760 679 709

| Julie: 07765 484 047 | EMAIL: sales@bloodlinespirits.co.uk | Website: www.rulegin.co.uk

and other sins | 25 ADDRESS: Bloodline Spirits Ltd, Unit 9, Southpark Industrial Estate, Peebles, EH45gin 9ED

Each month receive a specially selected range of gins.

Choose the perfect gin subscription It is time to choose a subscription that perfectly meets your needs as a lover of craft gins.

We promise we only send craft gins and craft gin liqueurs. No crisps or strange snack bars, honest!

Full bottle of the month

Four minis every month

Choose a bottle of the month from the 20 best new gin releases.

A set of four wonderful bottles sent every month.

£26.99

£12.99

Choose from a selection of 20 full gins or gin liqueurs (your choice)

First month only £4

Average RRP of gins sent is £38

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Builds to a collection of 50 best gins over 12 months

What makes them craft?

In spirits, the notion of “craft” means the same thing we’ve come to understand in beer, coffee, chocolate, and cakes. It can be generalized as “non-industrial,” but there’s also a moral component, a sense of trying to do good, whether that’s working with other local producers for ingredients or simply taking extra time to get the small things perfect; craft promises that the risk of buying something will be worth it.

I always look forward to the post when my gins are due, the miniatures are so cute and I love trying lots of new gins that I may never get to try elsewhere.

www.fridaynightginclub.com

Specialist Retailer in small batch gins gin and other sins | 27

Cucumber Cooler COCKTAIL RECIPE

Are you trying to stay healthy this year, yet want something extra special to drink?

Well, here it is...

INGREDIENTS 90ml Gin 1 Cucumber, trimmed and roughly chopped Handful of mint leaves 1 Lime, Juiced 1 tbsp Honey Blueberries to serve Handful of ice

METHOD Combine the gin, roughly chopped cucumber pieces, mint leaves, lime juice, honey, and ice in a blender. Blend on high for 30-60 seconds or until it resembles a slushy. Pour the cocktails into two glasses and fill the rest of each glass with or ice. Stir well, serve with a sprig of mint, blueberries and enjoy!

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TRENDING

Gin & Tea

When you read 40%vol on the front of your favourite Gin bottle, do you ever wonder what the other 60% is?

Well if we were talking vodka then it would be 40% ethanol (alcohol) and 60% distilled water. In a typical London Dry Gin you might find that it is 40% ethanol, 59.9% distilled water and 0.1% oils from the botanicals. This is because botanical oils are extremely strongly flavoured and only a small amount is needed to make the perfect Gin.

erfect serve p e h t t e g o t Now ... for your G&Tea

Now is if 60% is water, is there something else we could use instead of boring old distilled water?

Yes! The clever distillers at the Copper Star Distillery have produced a range of Gin and Tea where the water is replaced with high quality tea blends.

The range includes Assam Tea, Green Tea, Earl Grey and Rooibos (South African Red Bush).

We went for the Rooibos because we had heard how this particular blend is often used a botanical when making Gin in South Africa. On the nose lovely dark tannin notes make an instant impression and soften the piney juniper. Lastly come the softer spice flavours of cardamom and coriander. On the nose the tea fragrance is amazing, soft and warm.

On tasting the flavours become more perfumed but remain crisp and refreshing as the citrus joins the party in your senses.

It is important to follow the serving suggestion as this is not your normal G&T. 1. A dd lots of ice to a Gin bowl style glass, the large opening helps to get the tea aromas to your nose and the more ice you have in a glass the less dilution you will get as the ice will melt slower.

2. Add the Gin & Tea next, 75ml.

3. Next add an Indian Tonic, 75ml (yes it is served at a ratio of 1:1!)

4. Lastly it has to be a slice of lemon Pick up a bottle at fridaynightGinclub.com/tea

gin and other sins | 29

PREMIER BOTTLE SEALING WAX

Oakbank

We are the appointed premier bottle sealing wax suppliers to some of the worlds most familiar and best loved brands.

Our blenders can create a bespoke wax colour to match your brand, product, pantone colour...or eyes.

While we have an extensive range of stock colours and finishes included metallic, pearlescent and matte.

Sometimes our clients are looking for something just a little bit different.

Oakbank Products Limited 6 Fairbarn Road, Livingston EH54 6TS 01506 412937 www.oakbankproducts.com

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Our Wax

Secret Blends

Whether you’re dipping bottles or applying a brand enhancing seal to your packaging we have a range of waxes to suit your specific requirements.

Like the whisky in our clients’ bottles our wax blends are unique with different characteristics depending on the job we need them to do.

Our dipping wax is found on some of the most exclusive whisky bottles including special release bottles of the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old, The Macallan in Lalique, The Ardbeg and many more.

Our blends, a closely guarded secret, have been developed over many years, tried and tested by not only ourselves but our customers too. We believe that our bottle sealing wax is the finest quality available anywhere in the world. So whether you’re applying it to glass, metal, wood, plastic or paper you can be confident that our wax will give you exceptional results.

Although most of our clients are in the drinks industry, we have also supplied to perfumeries, artisan food producers and more. It’s even been used for the wax seals on invites to the annual royal garden party at Buckingham Palace.

Our wax is proven in both hot and cold conditions and we conduct regular transit trials with our clients to ensure quality and performance.

We also manufacture wax cartouches and wax seals. Molten wax seals can be applied to many materials including cord, tear strips, and decorative ribbon to name just a few. We also manufacture bespoke self adhesive wax seals that can be applied to glass, wood, leather, boxes…the list goes on, limited only by your imagination.

Available in three finishes, standard, pearlescent and metallic our proprietary dipping wax adheres flawlessly and peels off the bottle without cracking or crumbling. Our Colours are blended from premium pigments that are UV stable, which makes the wax lightfast.

Once dipped the wax can be easily stamped while still warm, or cold, with your own logo, batch number or design.

gin and other sins | 31

The rise and rise of

2019 will be memorable for many reasons, some happier memories than others, but for the team at The Scottish Gin Society, it was all about keeping our followers up to speed with the new distilleries and gins that keep popping up all over Scotland and making sure our A-Z of Scottish Gins and Distillery Map of Scotland are as up to date as they can be.

But it’s been no mean feat, keeping up with the seemingly endless list of new Scottish Gin brands appearing on the market. For us 2019 was a particularly busy year, with new Scottish Gins and expressions from established brands coming to market at least every couple of weeks.

The Scottish Gin Society When The Scottish Gin Society was established by Stephen White in 2016, the idea was simple; to build a community of fellow Scottish Gin lovers, and keep them informed and engaged with the journey of this incredible category. Stephen’s belief was that Scottish Gin would thrive and grow and ultimately challenge our other national drink – whisky.

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So, in 2017 we set about documenting the distilleries and gins that were popping up all over Scotland and in 2018 we launched our online A-Z of Scottish Gin directory and Scottish Gin Distillery map, continuing to research and add new distilleries and gins as they appeared, keeping our almost 120,000 online followers up to date with the incredible selection of Scottish Gins available.

100+ Scottish distilleries By the end of 2019, we had recorded almost 40 new gin brands and an incredible 25 new distilleries that opened their doors last year. Tyree Gin, Isle of Barra Gin and Whitetail Gin are examples of gin brands that are now distilling on their island homes, while some other well-known gin brands opened their doors having fulfilled their dreams of producing gin from their own distillery in 2019.

Back in 2016, we could never have imagined the number of distilleries would have more than trebled and the actual number of Scottish Gins would more than quadruple in just 3 years. As we enter a new decade, there are more than 100 distilleries producing gin here in Scotland, an amazing number and something we think is worth celebrating!

What does 2020 hold?

None of us has a crystal ball, and while there is always the threat that the gin bubble will suddenly burst it’s unlikely that this is going to happen any time soon. What is clear, from speaking to industry professionals, is that gin producers will have to continue to evolve and innovate new ways to grab the public’s attention if they are to grow and survive.

Innovation is key and we are already seeing huge growth in the flavoured gin, pink gin and ready-todrink gin markets. The willingness of gin drinkers to explore and try numerous different brands of gin is also a key reason that so many of the smaller, craft distilleries continue to flourish.

It’s a very exciting time for the Scottish Gin industry and the wonderful people who make up the community.

As ever, The Scottish Gin Society is proud to be supporting and promoting it and watching with eager excitement to see what the future brings!

Being at the heart of the Scottish Gin community in Scotland, we know how collaborative and innovative the industry is, but with so many new names coming on board, how much longer can the industry sustain this rate of growth? And what is the effect on the Scottish Gin category as a whole?

There has long been debate about these issues, but contrary to many predictions, the industry continues to flourish with many brands are looking at new ways to grow their distribution in this crowded market.

The Consumer Choice Awards There are plenty of great awards, national and global, for gin brands to win to reinforce their quality and experience, but for The Scottish Gin Society, it’s always been about the gin-drinking public and what they appreciate. That’s why, in 2017, we launched The Scottish Gin Society Consumer Choice Awards, the biggest consumer poll in existence that focuses on Scottish Gin. Last year, almost 6,500 people took the poll to vote for their favourite Scottish Gin, with Isle of Harris Gin coming out top for the second year. But it was by no means a one-horse race. The votes were widely spread over a mix of big-name brands and smaller craft gins.

We have just launched the 2020 Consumer Choice poll and we’re very excited to see which gin brands the public will vote for this year. Keep an eye on The Scottish Gin Society’s social media community for updates and details of how to vote.

Every step of the way At the Scottish Gin Society, we will be continuing to monitor all the new releases and keep on bringing our followers news of exciting new and established Scottish Gins for them to try.

The Scottish Gin Society Founder, Stephen White says:

“The Scottish Gin Society Team have continued to log the growth in the Scottish Gin sector this year.

At the end of 2018 I predicted that 2019 would be just as busy as last year – I wasn’t wrong! But what will 2020 bring? It’s impossible to say but as ever, we expect it to be an exciting ride!”

www.thescottishginsociety.com @scottish_gin

@ScottishGinSociety

@scottishginsociety

gin and other sins | 33

IN REVIEW

Non-Alcoholic Spirits Are they good value?

The number of 16 to 24-year-old who said that they did not drink alcohol in 2010 was 19% it is now 27%, drinking in general by British teenagers has fallen by 80% since 2002. The reasons they give include embarrassing drinking culture in earlier generations and better health awareness.

We adults are less convinced with non-drinker numbers barely moving from 19% in 2005 to just over 20% last year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Here in the UK producers of spirits are charged duty at some of the highest rates in the world. When you wander down the isle of your local supermarket and see their own brand gin at £14.25 per litre what you are actually paying £1.78 for the litre of gin, the other £12.44 goes to the treasury in duty.

So if we remove all the alcohol then their will be no duty, will the remaining “spirit” cost around £1.78? Well given the complexity of making these products we would expect not. But surely the £12.44 reduction in duty should be apparent?

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Brands such as Seedlip and Ceder’s are the leading alcohol-free spirits brands and both retail at around £40 per litre. So we asked our panel to give them both a test.

• Seedlip Grove 42 - RRP at time of test £27.99 (70cl) or £39.98 per litre • C eder’s Crisp - RRP at time of test £19.99 (50cl) or £39.98 per litre A number of smaller companies have entered the market but we are going to test these two main player.

We tasted each product neat and then served the drinks with ice, Fevertree Indian tonic.

Seedlip Grove 42

Ceder’s Crisp 2 out of 5 Seedlip drinks are not gins as they do not include juniper which is the predominant flavour for a spirit to be called gin. They make their drink by distilling alcohol and a range of botanicals and then removing the alcohol before bottling.

Seedlip is the market leader with products in 20 different markets, sold by 5,000 different stockists. Diageo, the world’s biggest drinks company (owner of Gordon’s, Smirnoff and Guinness), having a minority shareholding in the company.

Grove 42 from Seedlip is a blend of citrus distillates including bitter orange, blood orange, mandarin, lemongrass & lemon. The palate is citrus led providing a quite different experience than the cucumber led Ceder’s Crisp.

The lack of alcohol results in less of a kick and it is less viscous on the tongue than an alcoholic spirit. The fragrance as you would expect is orange up front but more subtle than the cucumber punch from the Ceder’s Crisp. It is not nice neat, but much improves with tonic and ice.

It’s a pleasant enough drink when served properly, though pricey.

3 out of 5 Distributed by multinational drinks giant Pernod Ricard, Ceder’s represents Seedlip’s main competition.

Ceder’s Crisp combines juniper with cucumber, citrus and camomile. The cucumber is the standout of these giving a more refreshing fragrance and taste than the Seedlip.

On its own Ceder’s Crisp is barely palatable but served properly with ice and tonic it was quite refreshing and a small improvement on drinking the tonic on it’s own.

It still doesn’t have that oiliness or kick associated with alcoholic drinks so is a bit like drinking a cucumber-flavoured tonic. Not unpleasant, though, and was the pick of the bunch for three of our six tasters.

Overall Our tasting panel will not be adding either of these products to their drinks cabinet and the general consensus is that a good quality tonic water offers much better value to the non-drinker.

The price tag on both these products may prevent this drink category making a real impact on our drinking habits.

gin and other sins | 35

THE HIGHLANDS. DISTILLED. SUTORS GIN IS THE RESULT OF ED AND STUART WANTING TO CREATE AN HONEST GIN. TO CRAFT THE A SPIRIT FROM LOCAL INGREDIENTS. FROM THE FIELDS THAT GROW OUR GRAIN TO THE MOUNTAINS WHERE OUR JUNIPER HAS GROWN FOR CENTURIES TO THE BEACHES WHERE MANY OF OUR KEY BOTANICALS GROW. SUTORS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT BOTH LANDSCAPE AND GIN, SO COMBINING THE TWO IS NATURAL.

PROCESS Hand crafted. From grain.

100% Scottish from the grain through to all the botanicals including the juniper.

TASTE Hand foraged botanicals.

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OUR PROCESS Nestled just above the rich agricultural coastal plain on the North Sutor we are surrounded by the gently swaying fields of barley, slowly ripening in the northern sun.

Ed, an agronomist, shepherds the grain from planting and continues to check and ensure the quality of our base product.

We make gin from our own spirit. We do not buy in spirit, flavour and bottle. We distil our own spirit from local grain that has been malted to the highest standards.

We treat our underlying spirit with the same care and attention as our botanicals.

THE TASTE Juniper is harvested when at it’s ripest. We test the berries on individual bushes and identify the best.

The spirit is flavoured with our foraged botanicals including juniper and sea buckthorn using vapour infusion.

The gin is brought to the optimal strength using filtered highland water. The finished gin is sweet and creamy with cereal notes.

Opening up to flavours of rosemary, aniseed and a cucumber freshness. Leading to big citrus with a long peppery finish with hints of menthol.

The idea behind Sutors was to create a distillery that reflected our Highland heritage. The ingenuity of local people in turning grain into spirit. So at Sutors we use local grain and botanicals to create a smooth delicious spirit with an amazing heritage and provenance.

Sutors Gin, The Coach House, Balinroich, Tain, IV20 1RR www.sutorsgin.com

gin and other sins | 37

OUR STORY Misty Isle Gin has been a long time in the making. It’s become something of a passion. From our family home in Portree on the Isle of Skye, we have created a spirit which we are proud to call our own. Distilling this beautiful craft gin anywhere else but here on Skye was never in question. Provenance is everything – that abiding sense of belonging and community.

Over time, we have perfected our recipe; a marriage of waters from the Storr Lochs and the right balance of the finest botanicals. It has taken patience and judgement, but some things cannot be rushed. This is a special moment. We are delighted to share our handcrafted, premium gin with you.

WHEN WE FILL OUR BOTTLES WITH GIN, IT’S ‘INFUSED WITH THE SPIRIT OF SKYE’.

INFO@ISLEOFSKYEDISTILLERS.COM | RATHAD NA SLIGNICH, PORTREE IV51 9EJ | 01478 611117

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THE WILSON BROTHERS We (Thomas and Alistair Wilson) were raised on Skye, a place we are both passionate and enthusiastic about promoting to a wider audience.

It was over three years ago that we hatched plans to give up our ‘day job’s and dreamed of creating the first gin distillery on the Isle of Skye. After securing planning permission to purpose build the distillery and thus fulfilling our dream, the hard work really began. The Wilson brothers set out and created something unique!

Alistair, the youngest brother has a background in the hospitality industry and has been a manager in various bars and restaurants across Glasgow. So, he is very used to customer and taste expectations. Thomas, the older and ‘wiser brother’ (well that’s his saying!) has been a local builder and has worked for the Highland and Islands Council, served in the Parachute Regiment and is still very active as a retained fireman in the local rural area. A great combination of customer and organisational skills!

In creating Misty Isle gin, we took inspiration from the local landscape, the Old man of Storr, and the Cuillin mountain range in particular.

With lots of dedication, burning the midnight oil, weeks foraging local juniper berries -often in the rain- we finally launched Misty Isle gin in early February 2017, to great applause. All of our gin is made locally in Portree using the crystal clear spring waters from the Storr Lochs just over a few miles or so from the distillery. We first launched as Isle of Skye gin and are still the first stills producing gin on Skye!

PROVENANCE IS EVERYTHING Did you know that each bottle of Misty Isle gin is unique and different? When our bottle is made, the process of creating our twisted top means it picks up a slightly different shape and imperfection when the glass cools.

With four gin stills producing, supply and demand is met always. The Isle of Skye Distillers is 100% independent and is entirely funded by the Wilson Brothers. The distillery is not open to the public but has a beautiful shop in the village along with their amazing gin school.

and other sinsGIN. | 39 FROM OUR DRAMATIC LANDSCAPE COMES OUR SMALL BATCH HANDginCRAFTED

TASTE THE SPIRIT AND LANDSCAPE OF SKYE.

OUR SHOP If you’re visiting Skye or live locally why not pop into our Shop in Portree, our home town. We sell a range of products: wines, beers, whisky, rum and of course gin and vodka. As locals, it is great to see our dreams become reality. From our very first plan to the building of our distillery, right through to our new shop and Gin School, our love of premium spirits grows stronger every day.

We are located on Rathad na Slignich, Portree, IV51 9EJ Email: shop@isleofskyedistillers.com Tel: 01478 611117

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Our cocktail recipe is called

Shepherds Delight Ingredients:

50ml Misty Isle Gin 25ml Wild Strawberry Liqueur 15ml Elderflower Cordial Rose lemonade

Glass: Collins Highball

Method: Add Misty Isle, Strawberry and Elderflower to a boston glass and shake, Fill glass with crushed ice and strain contents over the ice, top up with rose lemonade and garnish with a twist of orange peel. gin and other sins | 41

OUR FAVOURITE

garnishes

In this article we explore some of the more unusual garnishes that you’ll find adorned to your G&T. We will be finding out which gins they go with best.

Rosemary Rosemary gives a savoury taste to your gin and pairs well with juniper and other botanicals. It’s herby and fresh taste makes an unusual G&T garnish.

Best served with a dry gin.

Sugar snap peas The natural sweetness of sugar snap peas makes a great garnish. It’s going back to the botanical roots.

Serve with an aromatic gin.

Peppercorns Give your gin a little heat and spice by adding a handful of peppercorns.

Best served with a fruity gin.

Chilli Add warm, spicy undertones to your gin by adding a slice or two of fresh chillies.

Remove the seeds, you don’t want it to be too hot... unless you like a real kick!

Best served with dry gin.

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Apple Give your G&T a sweet and tart edge by garnishing it with a slice or apple, preferably green. Top tip: Rub your apple with lemon juice to stop it turning brown.

Serve with your favourite bitter gin.

Basil Wish you were in the Mediterranean? Us too, and you can get pretty close with this garnish. Muddle it into your drink and serve over ice.

Serve with a sweet gin.

Pomegranate It’s berry good... honestly, if you muddle up these delicious jewels and add them to your gin it will give you a sweet berry burst.

Serve with an aromatic gin.

Vanilla Buttery delightfulness awaits with this stunning combination. For that special treat, vanilla adds an air of elegance to any gin.

Serve with any classic gin.

Lemongrass Add a dose of freshness to your gin by adding a few stalks of lemongrass (with the hard exterior removed).

Best served with a dry gin.

gin and other sins | 43

Our journey has taken us around the world and back to our home in Badachro, where we make our acclaimed unique small batch spirits.

A world of very small batch spirits awaits, distilled using the purest of highland waters and locally harvested ingredients.

Badachro Gin is making a big name for itself as a top Scottish Highland gin, where locals, visitors and professionals alike love the fresh and unique taste of our gin.

Located in… wait for it, the hamlet of Badachro in the Scottish Highlands, Gordon & Vanessa hand pick an array of exquisite botanicals from the surrounding hills, woodland, fields and shores of the Gairloch and combine them in our beautiful (and rather mature) copper pot still ‘Delilah’.

Gairloch Coastal Gin is a new addition to our family of Scottish gins, and as the name suggests it is inspired by the sights, sounds and tastes of the local coastline on the doorstep of the distillery. We harvest seaweeds and combine them with fennel and wild thyme to produce a truly inspiring Scottish gin.

The secret to our top Scottish gins… the ancient copper still.

She marries the subtle flavours and scents of local botanicals with a carefully selected combination of traditional botanicals, herbs & spices to create an absolutely delicious, unique and authentic taste of the Highlands. Juniper, wild myrtle, coriander, gorse blossom, lavender, rose-hip petals and elderflower among other delights, combine to create a distinct and delicious taste which is unique to our stunningly beautiful land of purity, clarity and wonder.

Gordon & Vanessa’s ethos is equally as clear and is based on expressing as much as Badachro and surrounding area has to offer in a creative, high quality utterly delicious gin. Using botanicals that grow in the ancient lands within sight of their house and the distillery, water that falls through the pure, unpolluted air above the village and the much documented highland tradition of distilling, Badachro Gin is born for the delight of our customers around Wester Ross, across Scotland and well beyond.

Distillery tours, bed & breakfast and holiday cottage also available.

Badachro Distillery, Aird Hill, Badachro, Wester Ross, IV21 2AB, Scotland +44 741 sins 282 | badachrodistillery.com | gordon@badachrodistillery.com 44 |(0)1445 gin and other

The Romance of Distilling in the Scottish Highlands Badachro Distillery was much dreamed and spoken of for years and years before it became a reality. In fact… once upon a time, in a remote hamlet on the north west coast of the Scottish Highlands, in the real Wester Ross, Gordon & Vanessa met in the Badachro Inn and married less than twelve weeks later.

Madness, they all said, but over twenty years later, they live in the house on the hill, overlooking Badachro bay, with their kids, dogs, cat and two horses, entertaining b&b guests and concocting licit spirits with the greatest deliciousness being Badachro Gin. Vanessa had trained in hospitality in an up-market hotel in Munich and Gordon had worked for an advertising agency and life together, at first in the Middle east, was exciting and successful. When a move from Jeddah, to Dubai and then to London was followed by babies, a lust to leave the rat-race grew. Oh to have a wee business up in the Highlands and live a life of freedom & simplicity.

So, following a few years in the Scottish capital Edinburgh, escape to Badachro became a reality.

Our beautiful copper still

Moving to Badachro Life in a caravan whilst building their house, with a six year old, a toddler, a grumpy cat and a puppy was as mad as it sounds. But then…….everything fell into place.

The house, Aird Hill, was complete and ‘normal’ family life began. No offices to drive to, no corporate bosses to pander to, no traffic jams. Just peaceful, quiet life, gazing over pristine mountains, clear waters and that extraordinarily clear, star-studded night sky.

A returning topic of conversation was brewing beer or distilling spirits. Brewing beer seemed like the logical choice given the law, Vanessa’s Bavarian heritage and a ready market. But distilling is, after all, a Highland tradition and the easiest route was never going to be their choice.

So, Gordon devoured more (up to date) books about distilling whilst Vanessa researched like a crazy thing on the internet while Gordon completed formal training in distilling.

Our copper still, Delilah, is not only beautiful (in the eyes of this beholder) but as a mature girl who knows exactly what she’s doing, is extremely well practised in her field of evaporation and condensation.

Hand beaten in Portugal back in the mists of time, there are two stories as to how she got her name.

One tells of a time when she was one half of a pair and her partner was named Samson with whom she worked well for a score of years, but when working in Perthshire more recently, became separated as technology took effect. The other story favours the Highland tradition, whereby she was named after the daughter of her first master distiller’s eldest daughter.

As with boats, it’s not considered wise practice to change a still’s name! gin and other sins | 45

The Wee Farm Distillery is a hidden gem established in March 2018

by Jenny McKerr on the family livestock farm in South Lanarkshire. A former milking byre is now a craft distillery and home to Morag – a 30 litre pot still that produces Scottish gin with wild and complex flavours.

Drovers gin celebrates Scotland’s rich agricultural heritage and pays respect to the values, traditions and spirit of farmers who put food on our tables every day and manage the beautiful landscape. Wild ingredients that would be found near Drovers trails such as heather and thistles give Drovers gin an authentic Scottish taste. At 45% abv, Drovers has a well balanced blend of traditional ingredients with refreshing citrus notes and a hint of pink peppercorn - the result is a smooth, crisp gin that can be enjoyed with the best Scotch beef.

Farmers Strength Drovers Gin is bottled at 57% abv which further enhances the smooth blend of 13 botanicals with a subtle warmth.

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The Spirit of Scottish Farming

In November 2019, The Wee Farm Distillery launched Clydesdale gin - a local collaboration to celebrate the working Clydesdale Horse and the tradition of fruit growing in the Clyde Valley. Clydesdale gin is a unique blend of Botanicals infused with garden grown rhubarb and sweet apples. The result - a light, crisp explosion of fresh apples balanced with a delicate rhubarb finish.

Utterly refreshing.

Talented Ayrshire artist, Jan Laird, captured the strength and beauty of the Clydesdale horse as-well-as the stunning Drovers Gin Coo that features on the labels.

The Wee Farm Distillery produces over 40 gin based liqueurs using traditional slow infusion methods.

Rhubarb and raspberry, strawberry and mint, damson and spiced bramble to name a few. Good things definitely come to those who wait with this fantastic range of genuine flavoured gin liqueurs available in a range of sizes.

Jenny McKerr Gin Farmer

The Wee Farm Distillery produces ‘The Spirit of Scottish Farming’ on their diverse artisan farm where sustainable food and drink products from the land are at the heart of the family enterprises

Juniper

Coriander

Citrus

Cassia

Liquorice

Heather

Thistle

Peppercorn

Allspice

Cardamom OrrisotherAngelica gin and sins | 47

SCOTLAND

What We Do...

Solway Spirits is a small batch craft distillery located on the majestic Solway Coast in South West Scotland, using British suppliers when ever possible for the highest quality ingredients.

We use a blend of botanicals, juniper, coriander, orris root, angelica, orange peel, liquorice root and a few others which we forage locally.

We use a rectification column, making the spirit wonderfully smooth before cooling it through the condenser to make a silky smooth elixir.

Our passion and commitment for our work is second to none. A true micro distillery, everything produced is bottled and labelled by hand, so the consumer only receives the very best quality spirit.

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In 2019 we worked with a Scottish chocolatier to produce some delicious Chocolate Caramels using both our Gingerlicious Gin and Treacle Toffee Vodka. In 2020 we will be continuing to develop our gin infused chocolate range Some of the great things about us: •

We have over 21 products

•

Our bottles are available in 5cl, 20cl, 50cl & 70cl sizes

•

You can personalise your very own bottle!

•

We also offer miniature bottles, which are perfect for any event or wedding.

Look out for our new Navy Strength Gin, coming soon!

Our Story...

Solways Spirits was born in south west Scotland, on the beautifully wild Scottish Solway coast in 2015, a true micro distillery producing only small batch spirits and liqueurs. Each bottle is labelled, bottled and sealed by hand by Andrew and his partner Kate.

Initially, owner and founder Andrew Emmerson brewed Ale and cider, first as a hobby, just because he enjoyed drinking beer, and had so many apples he did not want to waste any. In 2010 he formed his first business – Andrew Ales.

Andrew loved experimenting with ale, he then progressed to grain spirit. He invested and made part of his own still and the process began.

His commitment and ultimate goal was to use the best quality botanicals, British whenever possible. Some he would forage locally along the shoreline, and some he would grow in his own cottage garden.

In August 2017 Solway Spirits launched their Rhubarb Crumble Gin, and the “explosion” began. With 12.5 million Facebook hits and 38k comments, Andrew was totally taken by surprise. He had hoped when creating the gin it would be a winner, but the sheer volume of interest was astounding. Solway Spirits Rhubarb Crumble Gin still remains their top selling product.

There are now 21 products in the core range and several new ones in trial stages; he no longer produces ales and cider.

Part of the business at Solway Spirits is creating and branding bespoke spirits and liqueurs for clients from many different sectors, including the on trade, independent retailers, corporate clients, events, weddings and individual bottles.

Solway Spirits Rhubarb Crumble Gin

Solway Spirits Apple Caramel Gin

Solway Spirits Cortes Gin

Solway Spirits Cherry Almond Bakewell Gin

Beautifully smooth, this Gin has rhubarb, juniper and citrus on the nose. We use our quality Gin and infuse it with fresh rhubarb and vanilla pods then a little torrified wheat for a short period.

A smooth dry gin infused with fresh juicy apples together with caramel and a hint of cinnamon.

An extremely smooth gin infused with dried elderflower and vanilla pods. This silky liquor has an initial sweetness, followed by juniper with floral notes, ending with a lovely warming finish.

This aromatic craft distilled Gin is a taste of the Peak Districts “famous tart” It is infused with Cherries & Almond to create an explosion of soft ripe jammy flavours on the palate.

Annan Business Park Way, Stapleton Rd, Annan DG12 6TZ 01461 758388 | info@solwayspirits.co.uk www.solwayspirits.co.uk

gin and other sins | 49

We are creators of a premium Scottish gin using single estate Scottish tea as our main botanical. Our tea is grown, hand picked and processed on our farm in Stirlingshire for a truly one of a kind gin experience.

Gintì.

The word Tì derives from the Gaelic word for tea. Our name is a nod to both our own Scottish heritage and the history of the Scotsman, James Taylor, who introduced the first tea plantations to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the 1800’s.

Farm to bottle.

We began growing tea in polytunnels on our farm in Stirlingshire back in April 2017. Using biomass renewable energy we have been able to create the perfect environment to grow tea, whilst the hard Scottish weather attributes to our unique flavour profile. We began with 1,000 plants and since then grown into a plantation with over 6,000 Scottish tea plants. As our plants are maturing we are able to hand pick and process the fresh growth of tea which we have carefully distilled into our gin.

Contact Details:

Ginti offers a clean, crisp flavour given to us by our simple use of botanicals that act as a foundation for our Scottish tea.

Juniper, lemon peel, angelica root, cubebs and liquorice are all infused into our spirit along with the tea. The tannins that Scottish tea itself provides the mouthfeel and smoothness alongside the floral notes that give Ginti its’ truly unique taste.

Design.

Our simple, modern design has flecks of copper to reflect the copper still used in the distilling process and the flecks of black are our black tea botanical. Our embossed logo contains both juniper and tea, both key to Ginti Gins’ flavour profile.

Serve.

We like to drink Ginti with a sliver of lemon rind or slice of lemon - just as many enjoy their cuppa!

Fordhead, Kippen, Stirling FK8 3JQ | 07865 989923 | www.gintigin.co.uk

Vodka

How to make your own Gin...

What you will need: Mason Jar 750ml good quality vodka 2 tbsp juniper berries 1 tsp coriander seeds 2 bay leaves 1/2 cinnamon stick 2 black peppercorns 1 sprig of fresh rosemary Lemon peel

Gin 1. Pour the vodka into a mason jar and add the juniper berries and leave overnight (12 hrs) in a dark place.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mason jar, mix well and set aside for 8 hrs.

3. Filter out the botanicals with a sieve, leaving you with a clear, crisp gin.

4. Bottle up the gin and leave to rest for 3 days then enjoy! gin and other sins | 51

Artisan, hand-crafted gins from the Scottish Highlands

The Badachro Distillery is small, but perfectly formed – as are our gins, which are handcrafted from beginning to end, from the foraging for the botanicals, to the hand labelling and recording the batch and bottle number, before our distiller gives his seal of approval with his initials.

Badachro Gin This stunning, immensely smooth and bold flavoured Scottish gin leads with juniper and myrtle, developing a soft sweetness with cubeb, subtle liquorice and spice, eventually tailing off with citrus & lavender. So delicious.

Badachro Gin makes an unmatchable G&T paired with Fevertree Light and a slice of lime but is also gaining a reputation as a leading ‘sipping gin’ because of its immense complexity, extreme roundedness and length.

Gairloch Coastal Gin Our coastal gin is made with botanicals foraged around the coast of Gairloch and Badachro in the Scottish Highlands and is distilled here in Badachro in true artisan style. Juniper, fennel and wild thyme are fused with two types of seaweed to produce a stunningly bright, fresh gin, packed with up-front flavour and an unmistakably authentic and unique flavour.

As a G&T, this gin serves perfectly with Fevertree Indian Tonic and a slice of lemon, or for a slightly sweeter and indulgent G&T, with elderflower tonic. Our Coastal Gin also works superbly on the rocks as a ‘digestive’.

Our journey has taken us around the world and back to our home in Badachro, where we make our acclaimed unique small batch spirits.

Distillery tours, bed & breakfast and holiday cottage also available.

Badachro Distillery, Aird Hill, Badachro, Wester Ross, IV21 2AB, Scotland +44 741sins 282 | badachrodistillery.com | gordon@badachrodistillery.com 52 | (0)1445 gin and other