Our Top 5 Scottish Gins!

The 11th of June is World Gin Day, a celebration of all things gin!   While Scotland is usually known for its whisky, over the past few years gin distilleries have been popping up all over Scotland, there is even a Scottish Gin Trail.

Here’s a little bit about our top 5 Scottish gins, all available from the Rothiemurchus Estate Farm Shop, and all tried and tested (it’s a hard job but someone has to do it).

Caorunn is a small batch gin, handcrafted in Cromdale in the Scottish Highlands.  As well as traditional botanicals of juniper, coriander seeds and orange peel, Caorunn expertly infuses five locally foraged botanicals which are rowan berry, bog myrtle, heather, coul blush apple and dandelion leaf.

The perfect serve… Apple is by far the best accompaniment to Caorunn, you can go traditional with wedge of pink lady and top up with tonic, or for a great simple cocktail, mix 50ml Caorunn, with 100ml pressed apple juice and 200ml tonic water. Delicious!

Strathearn classic gin is produced in two stages, once distilled, the base gin is compounded with additional botanicals which add more flavour and give it its golden colour.  Some of the more interesting botanicals are Spanish grapefruit, Italian lemon and a hint of kaffir lime leaves and star anise.

The perfect serve… A great gin deserves a great tonic, we think Fenitmans botanically brewed tonic water is just the trick for this gin!  Serve in a tall glass with ice and a wedge of pink grapefruit for the perfect refreshing G&T.

The Botanist comes from the Hebridean Island of Islay.  They use 9 traditional botanicals and augment those with 22 hand-picked local and sustainable, foraged island botanicals which makes for a distinctive, aromatic gin.

The perfect serve… This complex, floral gin makes for a great classic G&T.  We think it goes best with Walter Gregors tonic water and a wedge of lime!

Rock Rose from Dunnet Bay Distillers in Caithness certainly takes the price for most beautiful bottle.  It’s not just a pretty face though, Rose Rose is a wonderfully flavourful gin with a carefully selected mix of local and traditional botanicals.

The perfect serve… Serve in a tall glass, with a good quality tonic and garnish with a sprig of rosemary to help bring out those botanicals.

Crossbill Gin, perhaps saving the best till last, Crossbill is produced just down the road from Rothiemurchus.  It’s the only Gin made from 100% Scottish juniper which is combined with rosehip, two bold and fresh Highland botanicals.  The gin takes its name from the Scottish Crossbill – a native bird which, like their juniper supply, can only be found in the ancient Caledonian pine forests of Scotland.

The perfect serve… Keep it simple with a splash of tonic and garnish with orange peel.  The perfect summers day G & T.

All of these Scottish Gins, and more can be purchased at our Estate Farm Shop, visit us at Rothiemurchus centre, just 5 minutes from Aviemore in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.