Aberdeen...The Gin Capital of Europe?

Move Over Oil...There's a New Liquid in Town.

On Easter weekend we are bringing the Scottish Gin Festival back home to Aberdeenshire! We look forward to having local producers and distillers from our home region represented. 

Scotland has seen a surge in gin producers and distillers in recent years, and the North East has been no exception to this.  In no particular order, here's a quick education on our favourite gin-producing locals:

Lost Loch Spirits- Aboyne, Deeside

 

In old Scots, 'eenoo' meaning 'at the present time, just now', is a fitting name for a gin, it reflects the current trend in gin production in Scotland. Founded by friends Peter Dignan and Richard Pierce in 2017, the pair wanted to create a gin that had provenance and character. Using an array of locally-sourced ingredients, the gin is just the starting point for the journey through their awesome range, which includes a Scottish Absinthe!

Distilled with Royal Deeside honey and locally foraged brambles, raspberries and rosehip. Nose of Scottish berries with natural fruitiness and spicy finish. Plus what a beauty of a bottle!

Teasmith Gin- Udny

Try Udny-based distillers Teasmith Gin for a gin that's beautifully unique, crisp and totally refreshing. These guys were influenced by Aberdeen's historical links to the tea-trade. What links could the North East possibly have to the tea trade we hear you say? Well...it was in fact a young man from Auchenblae who planted the first tea plantation in Sri Lanka. James Taylor was his name, and he is largely credited for turning Sri Lanka into on of the worlds best tea-producing regions. 

Teasmith Gin is carefully distilled with hand-picked and hand-rolled Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka, much like the method James Taylor used centuries ago.  

 

Vespiris Gin, Rothienorman

Established in 2017 by husband and wife team in a 19th centry steading close to the family home in Blackford. Given the rich prehistoric past of the area the pair thought it only right to evolve some of the ideas the Picts use and the logo also pays homage to the past. A truly hand made product, bottled, labelled, wax sealed and numbered by hand.  

Crisp and floral on the nose with sweet notes from the infusion of honey and apples which is balanced by a warming spice and a lovely long pine finish. 

Esker Gin, Kincardine 

Esker Spirits is Royal Deeside’s first gin distillery and was founded in October 2015 by husband and wife Steve and Lynne Duthie. Having started their vision on a 1 litre still in the kitchen, the operation quickly moved into a garden shed. By the end of 2016, demand lead to the need for a larger distillery and a bigger still, which saw them move onto the Kincardine Estate, where they now distill and bottle their gins on site.

Esker’s key botanical is silver birch sap, combined with a dozen other botanicals, including citrus, heather, cassia, pink peppercorn, and the pure Deeside water. Distinctive juniper, Highland heather and silver birch, with a hint of spice and smooth fruity notes to give a sophisticated depth of flavours and a citrus aroma. 

 True OriGIN's Autumn Gin, Banchory

So...we host all these gin festivals, we thought we'd may as well make our own gin! Our gin was inspired by the autumnal flavours and colours of Royal Deeside. Picking heather flowers in the height of their bloom along with locally grown apples and finished with honey from nearby hives creates a well-balanced gin that simply leaves you wanting more.

Granite North, Aberdeen

Being inspired from the “Granite City” of Aberdeen and ancient forests of the Scottish Highlands, along with Granite North’s founder Sandy Matheson’s passion for hillwalking created the initial idea for the gin. As a qualified engineer and a self-confessed perfectionist, for Sandy it's all about the details. Hand crafted in small batches in the Highlands of Scotland.

Bright and fresh on the nose, reminiscent of forest floors. A luxurious creamy mouthfeel, while delivering a clean and crisp palate. A warm and seasoned finish and a credit to North East gin!

The Scottish Gin Festival 

So...we may not quite be the Gin capital of Europe, but we're on our way! If we've got you feeling ginspired, why not come along and enjoy all these fabulous gins from our talented local producers and distillers...

When: Friday and Saturday 19th and 20th April

Sessions: Friday 19th of April - 17:30 - 00:00

Saturday 20th of April - 12:00 - 17:30 and 18:30 - 00:00.

Where: Lochter Activity Centre  

How much: from £12.50

Gather your gin pals, tickets available from: https://trueoriginsco.com/pages/gin-festivals

And remember to visit us over at our online gin shop to shop any of the above gins! Go to: https://trueoriginsco.com/collections/aberdeen-shire

Leave a comment

Name .
.
Message .

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published