Scottish Craft Gin Subscription Tasting Notes
The Strong Water Co, Scottish Gin Box. Let us introduce ourselves, we are a small family owned and run independent spirits and wine shop based on Banchory High Street in Royal Deeside, Scotland. We opened our doors in 2019 and are absolutely delighted to be able to offer subscription services across the pond to you guys in America. Now you can enjoy some of the many, great drinks produced here in Scotland.
How does it work? Each month you receive two different Scottish gins, and we give you information about the distilleries, the gin tasting notes and some delicious serving suggestions.
January 2025 Tasting Notes
Seven Crofts - Highland Gin
Region & Style
Highlands– London Dry Gin
ABV - 43%
History
The Highland Liquor Co. has grown from the village of Ullapool just as the village grew from the 1788 fishing station planned on the shores of Loch Broom. The original settlement, on Scotland’s West Highland coast, included a boat builder, a rope maker, a cooper, a blacksmith, a fish curer, and a mason.
Several of these crafts survive to this day and have been joined by many new makers including The Highland Liquor Co. Back in 1791, the original settlers in the first seven dwellings sought to establish our village by generating growth and this drive continues in the community today. In the spirit of these original settlers, we are the creators of exceptional handmade spirits in the North West Highlands.
Tasting notes/ serving suggestions
Rich with rounded aromatic notes of juniper, pepper with a noticeable hint of ripe plum.
Garnish with a slice of orange.
Inverness Highland Gin
Region & Style
Highlands– London Dry Gin
ABV - 43%
History
The Great Glen Distillery was established by Daniel Campbell in his late mother’s shop in the small Highland village of Drumnadrochit in Glen Urquhart, located on the western shore of the world famous Loch Ness. It was through the Campbell family business that Daniel met Adam Dwyer, who had worked at a number of Michelin star restaurants, refining his skills and palate in the kitchen before joining the Campbell family business, eventually becoming executive head chef across the business group. Together Daniel and Adam began tinkering with the idea of establishing a distillery that would draw its inspiration from the local area and set to work developing a recipe that used some local botanicals and water sourced from Loch Ness.
Forming part of the Great Glen Distillery & Visitor Centre, the distillery is discreetly tucked round the side of the Loch Ness Drumnadrochit Hotel. Located in the former shop, the distillery houses a 200 litre still named Jacqueline after the founder’s late mother.
The still is used to produce both the gin and the base spirit that’s used during the distillation process. One of Scotland’s smallest distilleries, the micro distillery draws its water source from a borehole that draws its water directly from Loch Ness.
Tasting notes/ serving suggestions
Deep tones of kombu kelp seaweed and golden chanterelles, add layers of aromatic fennel seed and summer scented elderflower, finishing with a high, bright tones of citrus fruit.
Serve with an aromatic tonic and lemon slice.
December 2024 Tasting Notes
Edinburgh Gin
Region & Style
Edinburgh – London Dry Gin
ABV - 43%
History
Edinburgh Gin Classic is a distillation of the legendary city, with Edinburgh present in every sip.
Key Botanicals
Heady notes of pine buds and lavender that grow in our lush, green parks, the darkness of the mulberries that echo the city's gothic surroundings and the effervescence of citrus fruits, once exported from warmer climates through the city’s bustling docks.
Tasting notes/ serving suggestions
Best served with tonica twist of orange, and plenty of ice.
Lussa Gin
Region & Style
Islands– London Dry Gin
ABV - 42%
History
Only 200 people can call it home and George Orwell, who stayed there while he wrote '1984', described the west coast Isle of Jura as a most 'un-get-at-able place".
Accessible only by two ferries, Jura holds the key botanicals and perfect maritime temperature climate to produce the outstanding final product. Stemming from an idea that snowballed in the summer of 2015 saw Claire Fletcher, Georgina Kitching, and Alicia MacInnes come together to forage botanicals from nearby hills and glens, lochs, bogs, woods, and the sea to launch "the gin for adventurers" just a short year later.
Products
Using "Jim" their traditional Portuguese copper still. Leaves, needles, cones, seeds, and roots are added to the pot along with neutral spirit and soft, crystal-clear spring water from the hills of Ardlussa. Flowers and petals go in a basket that sits above the pot; their flavours and aromas are released into the vapor as it passes.
Tasting notes/ serving suggestions
Soda water, ice and a fragrant rose petal, preferably a red one.
October 2024 Tasting Notes
Stranger's Point Coastal Gin
Region & Style
Edinburgh – London Dry Gin
ABV - 40%
History
Inspired by the Coastline around the iconic Rubha nan Gall Lighthouse, situated on the Isle of Mull. The name translates in Scottish Gaelic to Stranger’s Point. Our gin embodies the coastal surroundings, where Sea Holly, Bramble Berries and Lavender are hand picked and foraged. We carefully balance these with a simple array of botanicals to develop a unique flavour and incredibly smooth finish.
Key Botanicals
Sea Holly, Bramble Berries and Lavender are initially hand picked and balanced with some traditional natural botanicals. The distilled spirit is cut with water from the Scottish Highlands that spends around 50 years underground. The springs are famous historically for their health qualities and unlike other water sources, have an incredibly low mineral content, low pH value and small molecular cluster size. These unique properties are the reason for its beneficial effects and help create our unique and subtle palette.
Tasting notes/ serving suggestions
Garnished with Bramble and dried Lavender
Still River Rhubarb Old Tom Gin
Region & Style
Aberdeenshire – Old Tom
ABV - 43%
History
From Still River Distillery (previously known as Twin River) comes Rhubarb Old Tom. This tip-top tipple is slightly sweeter than London Dry.
Key Botanicals
Rhubarb and lime peel, created and distilled from grain in Scotland's Royal Deeside.
Tasting notes/ serving suggestions
Tangy, fresh and fruity rhubarb balanced by sweet, fragrant honey, juniper and cassia.
Serve over ice with tonic and fresh raspberries.
September 2024 Tasting Notes
Kinrara - "Ginny" The Coo
Region & Style
Highlands – London Dry
ABV - 43%
History
Inspired by the Highland Cow, this juniper-led gin has citrus tastes with warm and gentle spice.
Key Botanicals
Juniper and citrus
Tasting notes/ serving suggestions
Ginny boasts a dry finish with just subtle hints of rose petals.
Aroma:
Soft juniper, lemon drops, orange ice lollies and rosehip syrup.
Taste:
Bright citrus with notes of pine forest, birch bark and gentle spice.
Finish:
Warm, dry finish with just the subtle hints of rose petals.
Sloe Gin - Gin Bothy
Region & Style
Angus & Fife – Flavoured
ABV - 28%
History
To some, a bothy is a refuge on the hills... an old stone building offering shelter when the clouds roll in or darkness looms. It’s a pause on a Highland journey, a sanctuary. A place where travellers converge as kindred spirits, and hip flasks are passed around. A place of stories.
Key Botanicals
Sloe berries
Tasting notes/ serving suggestions
Gin Bothy infuses their Scottish gin with fresh Sloes handpicked in the Glens of Scotland, add sugar, and hand-turn daily to create a rich fruit flavoured liqueur.
August 2024 Tasting Notes
Banchory Gin – By The Strong Water Co.
Region & Style
Aberdeenshire – London Dry Gin
ABV - 40%
History
A gin development by Guy, the co-founder of The Strong Water Co, after previously running gin festivals we gathered feedback on peoples tastes to create the perfect gin and Banchory Gin was born!
Key Botanicals
This gin has seven botanicals – juniper, angelica, coriander, orris, liquorice, fennel and Sichuan peppercorns.
Tasting notes/ serving suggestions
Has a slightly herbaceous style, with ripeness on the palate from the berries, balanced by a soft spice. The perfect tipple to warm the cockles and soothe the soul. Serve with a great tonic, lots of ice and either lemon or rosemary!
Little Brown Dog – Aberdeenshire Foraged Gin
Region & Style
Aberdeenshire – London Dry
ABV 43%
History
Not your normal gin, this gin takes a year!
A year of Aberdeenshire in your bottle
April – 2 weeks to tap the birch trees as the sap rises May – Picking beech leaves as they emerge and zing with fresh lemon flavours. Planting Parsnips June – Picking rhubarb July – August – Collecting bee pollen from our own hives October – November – Harvesting parsnips December – Bare root planting juniper All year – foraging for wood sorrel and looking after our bees.
They became beekeepers to make this gin. The bees are their best foragers and as well as providing them with local Aberdeenshire bee pollen to distil in their gin, help with pollination of the trees, flowers, and grasses around us.
Key Botanicals
Birch Sap, Wood Sorrel and Beech Leaves
Tasting notes and serving suggestions
A modern dry Scottish gin. Packed full of juniper, waves of citrus, floral and woodland notes, with a hint of petrichor. Serve with a splash of lime!
July 2024 Tasting Notes
Electric Spirit ‘Achroous’
Region & Style
Edinburgh – London Dry Gin
ABV 41.0%
History
Electric spirit co. Kicked off in 2014, distilling for the first time in summer the following year. It was the first distillery to operate in Leith since the closure of melrose drover, 40 years earlier. In an inadvertently hipster move, the original distillery was installed in the old james dunbar lemonade factory, and was about the size of a small kitchen. It had a ten litre glass still, a sink, and some benches, but it got things going. This was where achroous gin was born.
Key Botanicals
This gin has seven botanicals – juniper, angelica, coriander, orris, liquorice, fennel and Sichuan peppercorns.
Tasting notes
The strong juniper foundation gives a resinous sharpness, with the root content building body, giving a rich, earthy quality. Bright floral notes are brought by the fennel, with the Sichuan peppercorns bringing a delightful floral, spiced aroma and fresh citrus to the palate. Serve with a great tonic and lots of ice!
Lind & Lime
Region & Style
Edinburgh – London Dry
ABV 45%
The first tipple to come from Edinburgh’s Port of Leith Distillery has arrived in the shape of Lind & Lime Gin!
The flavour profile for this gin is based around one of Leith’s historical maritime figures and the Port of Leith’s ties as one of Scotland’s most important historical trading ports. James Lind was an Edinburgh born Ship’s Surgeon aboard the HMS Salisbury. Scurvy was rife at the time due to a lack of Vitamin C. Lind carried out a number of trials that showed citrus fruit improved the sailor’s health. Although Lind missed the significance of this observation, he is recognised for pioneering the concept of a ‘fair trial’. Lind & Lime Gin is created using seven carefully curated botanicals that work in harmony to create a fresh and balanced flavour profile.
Key Botanicals
Lime and Pink Peppercorn
Serving suggestions
A big squeeze of lime, lots of ice and some peppercorns.
June 2004 Tasting Notes
Glaswegin
Region & Style
Glasgow – London Dry Gin
ABV 41.1%
History
The founder of ‘Glaswegin’ often contemplated the irony of Edinburgh Gin appearing in Glasgow! He knew it was time for Glasgow to have a truly overt Glasgow Gin. A gin for Glasgow, from the city that invented the world but were yet to invent a truly Glaswegian gin. The ethos was to create a frank, no frills yet distinctive gin, representative of its namesake and ‘Glaswegin’ was born, first distilled in 2018.
Key Botanicals
Milk Thistle, Orange Flower, Pink Peppercorn, Bay Leaf
Serving suggestions
We are big believers of serving your gins how you best like them, one key thing is to never go over the top with the tonic water. In general, the rule of thumb is a small bottle of tonic water should cover two gins. Serve the ‘Glaswegin’ with a fresh slice of apple and a mint leaf.
Gunshot Gin
Region & Style
Kirriemuir, Angus – Bathtub
ABV 37.5%
History
It’s a hillwalking tradition to seek shelter and warmth after a long day on the hills. For some this is a cosy seat in the nearest pub, for others it’s a night in a bothy with a hip flask. Inspired by the history and heritage of Scottish bothy life, Gin Bothy was born, and they embrace the old-fashioned approach.
Homegrown and simple – Gin Bothy’s award-winning bothy is nestled in the Angus Glens of Scotland, where they create premium gins.
They infuse their Gins with local seasonal fruits in small batches, working through the process by hand at each step. First distilled in November 2015 and is a top seller for us in the shop.
Key Botanicals
Cinnamon, Cloves, Mixed Spices
Serving suggestions
This one's a little different, drink neat or serve with lots of ice and ginger ale!
