Highland distiller, Arbikie, is launching its second gin later this month called AK’s Gin – named after Alexander Kirkwood Stirling, the father of Arbikie owners Iain, John and David.
Following Arbikie’s ‘Field to bottle’ ethos, AK’s Gin is distilled using honey and Viscount wheat farmed at Arbikie along with black pepper, mace and cardamom.
The Viscount variety of wheat used in AK’s is sourced from the Deils Knapp field, which you can see from the distillery. Arbikie also plans to install its own hives to produce the required honey as well as pollinating the surrounding land.
Distillery Manager, Christian Perez, said, “We chose our Viscount variety of wheat because it gave us a beautiful, buttery character.
“Coupled with our fresh honey, AK’s Gin is incredibly smooth lending itself to a great gin and tonic and an amazing base spirit for cocktails.”
Director John Stirling said,“Our Dad is an inspiration to us and we wanted to create a gin that reflected his character and our family’s farming roots.
“He’s farmed all his life and is proud that we are distilling using our family’s own crops and is keen that we share that unique provenance with our Arbikie customers on-going.”
In 2014, Arbikie created its Scottish Potato Vodka, then launched Kirsty’s Gin using locally-foraged botanicals followed by their Chilli Vodka distilled using fresh chillies and most recently a Strawberry Vodka using home-grown strawberries.
Rock Rose gin producer Dunnet Bay Distillery has released special edition gin called Lassies Toast to celebrate Burns Night.
The gin is inspired by the Moorland tea that Robert Burns is reputed to have enjoyed and is made to a unique recipe designed in-house by the UK’s most northerly mainland distillery.
Designed “fae the lassies”, the new gin is made from bilberry leaves, strawberry leaves, heather tops, speedwell and wild thyme, ingredients found in the Moorland tea recipe.
The 41.5% ABV gin is bottled in a collectible red glass bottle, with each product hand signed, numbered and sealed at the distillery.
Lassies Toast is being released in limited run of 250 bottles available exclusively from the Dunnet Bay Distillery website and costs £34.
The Teasmith Gin, a new gin distilled with hand-picked tea, has been launched by Aberdeenshire couple Nick and Emma Smalley.
The gin is made from black loose leaf Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka, which is distilled by itself then blended with classic gin botanicals and double-distilled at Strathearn Distillery in Perthshire.
Nick told DRAM, “We wanted to use a botanical linked to our local area and discovered James Taylor, from Aberdeenshire, who founded the first tea plantation in Sri Lanka in 1867.
“Distilled, the Ceylon tea has a citrus flavour with a minty sweetness and would work well in cocktails, so we hope it will be popular in the on-trade.”
Teasmith launched in a batch of 560 bottles priced £37.50, with more set to be produced early 2017.
Pickering’s Gin founders Marcus Pickering and Matt Gammell have launched Ginerosity, which they describe as the world’s first social enterprise gin. They plan to use the profits from sales of Ginerosity to projects that help and support under-privileged or disadvantaged young people.
The pair have formed new company Good Spirits (Scotland) CIC, in partnership with Chris Thewlis, the social enterprise entrepreneur behind Beer for Good, Dave Mullen of marketing agency Story, and drinks industry and export specialist David Moore.
Marcus Pickering said,“Supporting good causes is something that’s very close to our hearts. Producing this unique gin is the perfect way to achieve that and give something back to the community”. He added, “We want to support disadvantaged and disenfranchised young people in the UK, as well as give opportunities to young people and children in other countries.”
Ginerosity is available to the on-trade priced £25 per 50cl bottle.
Rupert Waites and Thomas Chisholm, the duo behind Edinburgh pop-up dining experience, The Buck and Birch, have launched Aelder, a whisky elixir made from wild foraged elderberries.
Bottled at 17% ABV, Aelder mixes wild elderberries with blended Scotch whisky and a range of wild Scottish botanicals.
The elderberries are hand-foraged by chef Waites, who creates tasting menus using local, seasonal and foraged foods for The Buck and Birch.
Waites said, “Elderberries are one of the most neglected native fruits, but they are versatile and delicious. We found they complemented our style of cooking beautifully and were particularly well suited to our game dishes.
“We had a period of experimentation and decided to take the berries off the plate and into a glass and Aelder was born.”
The drink is designed to be enjoyed neat, paired with cheese, topped up with prosecco or drizzled over vanilla ice cream.
Aelder is priced £24.99 and packaged in 500ml black earthenware bottle, designed to give a nod to traditional Scottish flagons.
GlenWyvis, Scotland’s first community-owned distillery, has released a collection of four limited edition gins inspired by Edinburgh .
The ‘Edinburgh Collection’ of gin celebrates four unique, local communities in the Capital, represented by local landmarks in Stockbridge, Old Town, New Town and Morningside.
GlenWyvis Gin is made from nine botanicals that include Hawthorn berries and has a ” fresh, clean, citrus finish”. It has been distilled in Shetland as the GlenWyvis distillery in Dingwall is still under construction.
The new Dingwall distillery is funded by GlenWyvis Distillery Community Benefit Society which raised over £2.6m from 2,600 founding members via a crowdfunding campaign earlier this year.
The GlenWyvis distillery is being built on land donated by the ‘flying farmer’, John F. McKenzie, who is also GlenWyvis’ founder and managing director.
He said the new gin collection aims to raise awareness of the GlenWyvis brand while the distillery is being built.
McKenzie said, “Our GlenWyvis ‘Edinburgh Collection’ with its local community-themed labels celebrates the combined efforts of all the investors, not least those from Edinburgh itself, who have helped us create three full-time jobs, to date, with other part-time positions created in the run-up to Christmas.
“It is the contribution of our community members from all over the world that will help create the very first Scottish-owned, community-owned, green-powered malt whisky distillery.”
Formed as a Community Benefit Society, GlenWyvis is on a mission to bring distilling back to Dingwall and aims to be 100% powered by renewable energy, with solar, hydro, wind and biomass energy facilities already installed onsite.
The limited edition GlenWyvis ‘Edinburgh Collection’ gin is priced RRP £39.99 and will be available in selected bars and restaurants.
Dunnet Bay Distillery have unveiled the first Winter Edition of Rock Rose Gin which bottles Christmas literally as it uses the tips from Spruce trees – a common Christmas tree choice – as its main ingredient.
Completing the 2016 seasonal collection, the Winter gin features seasonal variations on the original with an emphasis on Spruce Tips, which create earthy and slightly citrusy notes.
Martin Murray, Co-Founder of Dunnet Bay Distillery, said, “Our Winter Edition is the latest in our sell-out seasonal edition series. With spruce tips as our hero botanical, we believe we have created a truly unique flavour profile and we expect it to be a popular choice for winter cocktail menus.”
As with previous seasonal editions, the signature Rock Rose ceramic bottle has been given a festive snowy make-over.
The launch completes a successful year for Dunnet Bay Distillery, who have just received planning permission to expand the distillery by four times its current size and open a visitors centre.
Bramble bosses Mike Aikman and Jason Scott have teamed up with Gavin Ferguson, co-founder of Scottish independent wine merchants Vino Wines, to create Seawolf – a new white rum made in Scotland.
Together, the trio formed Boilermaker Drinks Co. with the aim to create a portfolio of spirits distilled in Scotland. They claim their first launch, SeaWolf, is the first white rum to be distilled on Scottish soil.
Bottled at 41% abv, the new rum is 18-months in the making and will have a limited first run, with only 300 bottles available before the end of the year.
Mike Aikman, who also runs Edinburgh bars The Last Word and Lucky Liquor Co with Jason Scott, said, “Rum is a massive player in the cocktail world. However, when we started looking around for a British brand, we realised that very few brands are distilled here and so SeaWolf was born.”
“British rum is about to have its time in the spotlight”
He added, “Unlike gin which we feel is reaching saturation point in the market, British rum is about to have its time in the spotlight and we aim to be at the forefront of this.”
SeaWolf is produced in Angus at Ogilvy Spirits by fermenting the spirit’s base ingredient, cane molasses, at low temperature using rum and champagne yeasts.
It is described as having “notes of unripe banana and sugar cane” that give way to “tropical fruits on the palate with a faint citrus and spice finish”.
Aikman added, “Scotland is not the ideal climate to be making rum in but we love a challenge so we set about developing a full-flavoured rum good enough to work well straight and as a base for cocktails.
“It had to have character, flavour, mouthfeel and body which can be difficult with an unaged spirit but we hope we’ve delivered on all aspects.”
The name “SeaWolf” is taken from the Native American term for killer whales. It offers a subtle nod to both Britain’s naval links with rum importation but also the pods of sea wolves that are found dotted around the Scottish coastline today.
It’s clear medicinal-style bottle is an extension of the company’s contemporary outlook, with the whale illustration adding an artisanal touch.
SeaWolf launches 1 December priced RRP £29.99 for 50cl bottles and is available here.
Arbikie Highland Estate has launched a new limited edition strawberry vodka for the festive period, which packs a punch at 50% abv.
In a departure from their potato vodka, Arbikie has created a wheat vodka for its latest expression which is distilled using fresh strawberries grown on a family farm next to the distillery.
Arbikie’s Distillers, Christian Perez and Kirsty Black have spent the past year perfecting the Strawberry Vodka.
Christian Perez said, “We were keen to create a unique a vodka using only fresh produce with local strawberries. We used wheat grown on the farm to make the vodka that provides distinctive notes of butterscotch and biscuit characteristics.
“At 50% ABV not only do you get a great base spirit for cocktails but an incredibly smooth and fresh tasting vodka.”
According to Arbikie, each release has its own unique vintage as the fresh strawberries used change subtly in flavour each year depending on the season’s weather.
Arbikie Global Brand Ambassador Alex Forsyth added, “The feedback we received at the world-renowned London Cocktail Week was overwhelming, everyone commented how unique the vodka is. There is this fresh strawberry aroma which lends itself to great martini and champagne cocktails!”
Arbikie has a growing reputation for innovation and true farm-to-bottle provenance as they grow the ingredients on their Estate to ensure full traceability.
In 2014, the distillery created the first Scottish potato vodka, followed by the launch of ‘Kirsty’s Gin’ using locally-foraged botanicals and then a chilli vodka made using fresh chillies from Scotland’s first chilli farm.
Arbikie’s suggested serve is a twist on a classic martini with black pepper and fresh mint.
Arbikie Strawberry Vodka is priced RRP £45 per 50cl bottle.
Citadelle has added Old Tom Gin to its ever-growing portfolio with this strictly limited edition expression which takes inspiration from 18th Century England where the working-classes opted for a distinctly candied flavour profile.
This innovative approach is part of Maison Ferrand’s ongoing ‘Extreme’ programme, an initiative that sees the creation of a handful of new spirits each year, pushing the boundaries of production through new techniques, or refining long lost methods, often the result of many hours delving into historical records.
This modern interpretation of a near-forgotten classic recipe features Caribbean brown sugar, which is lightly caramelised in copper pots, blended with Citadelle Reserve and aged in barrels.
The result is an elegantly floral, juniper-led gin with subtle notes of almond set aside liquorice, and a spicy hint of Cinnamon.
Hi-Spirits has expanded its gin portfolio with an agreement to distribute New Zealand brand Scapegrace Gin in the UK.
Coming from the Rogue Society Distilling Co, Scapegrace bills itself as the gin ‘from the bottom of the world’. Distilled in New Zealand using spring water sourced from the country’s Southern Alps, and 12 botanicals sourced from around the world, the spirit is batch-distilled using a restored 19th-century copper whisky still, with each batch individually numbered.
Scapegrace is a traditional word for a rogue or rascal, and the brand celebrates gin’s sometimes murky history with a black-tinted bottle, which has a shape based on an antique genever bottle.
Hi-Spirits managing director Dan Bolton said, “Consumers increasingly enjoy a range of gins and gin serves in their drinking repertoire. Along with offering on-trade and off-trade retailers classic and modern gins, both British and global, we’re helping them to plan their ranges and segment the gin category to meet consumer expectations.”Scapegrace gin has an ABV of 42.2% ABV with an RRP of £39.99.
Scapegrace gin has an ABV of 42.2% ABV with an RRP of £39.99.
Edinburgh craft distillery Pickering’s Gin has released a festive treat – gin-filled Christmas tree baubles, which are proving so popular the distillery is struggling to keep up with demand.
The limited edition festive decorations have sold so quickly that the distillery has had to stagger their release, with the next batch available from the start of December.
The baubles are each filled with a 50ml measure of gin and sold in packs of six different colours at RRP £30.
Marcus Pickering, Co-founder of Pickering’s Gin, said, “The baubles started off as a bit of fun for a Christmas fair and people went absolutely wild for them.
“We sold hundreds in minutes, and decided to add them to our production line as a fun, seasonal offering.”
He added that the product’s popularity was “a brilliant end to a monumental year” which saw Pickering’s increase capacity, expand to new international markets and launch its social enterprise gin, Ginerosity.
General Manager Dave Quinnell added that Pickering’s Gin had been inundated with requests for the baubles from across the UK.
He said, “Having already increased production to four times our anticipated sales, we now have to release the baubles in stages so that production can keep up.”
Next year, the distillery plans to produce 300,000 baubles starting in early January to ensure they meet demand for next Christmas.
The distillery recommends anyone wanting to snap up a pack of the gin-filled baubles next month should sign up to the Pickering’s Ginfriends mailing list to be notified 24 hours before general release.
Very limited stocks are currently available at selected retailers, includingHarvey Nichols, 31 Dover, Woodwinters Wine and Cambridge Wine Company.
Surrey-based Silent Pool Distillers has launched its WRY English Vodka, made from rye, and three gin mist sprays designed to enhance cocktails.
Bottled at 40% ABV, the new WRY English Vodka is made from spring-fed water from the Silent Pool, a spring-fed lake at the foot of the North Downs in Surrey, and is 100% rye grain spirit.
It is filtered through hardwood charcoal which is sourced locally from a Surrey Hills craftsman and fired in a traditional circular kiln.
According to Silent Pool’s Master Distiller, Cory Mason, this technique “removes impurities and harshness whilst ensuring an exceptionally smooth taste with just a subtle hint of rye spice.”
Mason developed the WRY vodka to “have the style of rye, but with a new twist.” He said, “It has a tiny bite, which makes it more versatile and interesting to use in cocktails.”
Another new Silent Pool release this month comes in the form of an unusual cocktail garnish – the distillery’s new range of Silent Pool Gin Mist Sprays.
The mists have been created to add an extra dimension to both gin cocktails and gin and tonics by covering the surface liquid of the drink with a thin film of flavour.
They are free to the on trade, available through CASK, and come in three aromas: Bergamot Orange, Kaffir Lime and a special Christmas Edition, which is distilled with flavours of “traditional mulling spices, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg infused with hints of Christmas tree.”
The gin mists are made by steeping fruit peel in spirit with a touch of angelica and orris root. The oils are then extracted and the remaining liquid blended with chamomile and rose tea to complement and enhance gin-based drinks.
Swedish distiller Smögen Whisky has brought its limited edition Strane Oaked Gin to the UK.
It follows the 2015 release of Strane “Uncut”, which at 76% ABV is allegedly the strongest gin available in the UK.
Bottled at 55% vol ABV, the new edition is based on the distillery’s Strane London Dry Navy Strength Gin. It has been matured for 18 months in a former Sherry butt, which formerly matured heavily peated Smögen Whisky.
Strane follows an unusual recipe as it is created by distilling three differently balanced base gins – juniper, citrus and herbal – using the same twelve botanicals, and then blended to create different expressions.
Robert Ransom, from UK importer Highfern Ltd, said, “Strane Oaked Gin offers an astonishing crossover between gin, whisky and sherry, which will delight fans of craft spirits.”
Strane Oaked Gin is now available from Master of Malt, Robertsons of Pitlochry and Shop4whisky priced £50
Scottish gin producer Dunnet Bay Distillery has today launched its third seasonal twist on its popular Rock Rose Gin with the new The Autumn Edition.
Like former seasonal editions, the new gin features the same base botanicals as the original Rock Rose Gin but with some seasonal variations.
The citrus level has been lowered to make way for more berry and spice flavours. The recipe makes use of locally sourced ingredients, including blackberries and raspberries from Caithness Summer Fruits and blaeberries from the Dunnet area.
Martin Murray, Co-Founder of Dunnet Bay Distillery, said, “We’ve been thrilled to discover that our seasonal editions have become so collectable and we’ve even had to set up waiting lists for each release due to demand.
“This one is full of spice and berries, the perfect tipple as the days start to draw in.”
The distinctive Rock Rose ceramic bottle has also been given an autumnal makeover in hues of orange and brown.
The UK’s most northerly mainland distillery was launched by husband and wife team, Martin and Claire Murray in 2014. It is well-known for using traditional and local botanicals that are hand-foraged from cliffs and forests around Dunnet Bay.
The new seasonal Autumn Edition is available now priced £37.50.
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