Esker Gin – Premium Scottish Highland Dry Gin | 42% ABV, 70cl Bottle | Distilled in Aberdeenshire with Locally Sourced Silver Birch Sap, Pink Peppercorns, and Rosehip | Ideal for Negroni and Martini

Product Information

I do prefer a citrus or herbaceous style of gin, but a juniper-led gin will always be the best after a hard week’s work when you need a gin to be a GIN! When Helen was working in distilleries she was inspired by the enthusiasm of those working in the industry and how it is all-encompassing; crafting, branding, and helping people: "It's a very creative place to be". Both Natalie and Martin are in the fortunate position where they get to sample Scottish gins endlessly, therefore they are my go-to people to get some ideas from. It is understandable their preferences change as they taste the latest range of gins, but below are some of their current favourites.

Scotland produces gin? That's right, Scotland doesn't just make the best whisky in the world, it's not bad at creating craft gins either. What will be next? That remains to be seen, but rest assured it will be delicious and it will be soon. After buying a copper still from Portugal, what was once a hobby has now evolved into a commercial venture, with their recent debut at the Taste of Grampian Food and Drink Exhibition being a breakthrough into the local Gin market. Founded in 2015, Esker was established to embrace innovation and produce spirits that deliver a real taste experience to the consumer, starting with gins that are complemented by mixers and garnish, not defined by them. Using gorse as a botanical didn’t immediately spring to mind when I began making gin, but as my palate and skill as a distiller developed it began to make sense as I looked to create a unique London Dry gin, which met my own personal preferences as a gin-drinker i.e. juniper-led with floral elements without becoming perfumey. Gorse was perfect.Their Smoky Chilli Gin includes Bulgarian Juniper, Chipotle Chilli. Smoked Chilli, Chilli and Lime. This is quite an intriguing Gin; this is one of only two Scottish Gins that are made with chillis. The gin is also offered at Navy Strength – 58% abv. Despite this big mouthful of alcohol, it is remarkably smooth and can be happily sipped naked! As a G&T it offers hints of toffee and citrus, for the adventurous try mixing a Vesper – you won’t be disappointed. Edinburgh Seaside Gin is my favourite of the Edinburgh collection. It has an almost soft, chalky mouthfeel and a sherbety sweetness to it which I find really scrummy. It also makes a great martini! The small family business started off in 2017 to produce a drink for their bed and breakfast guests and perhaps the local pub. Now it sells gin across the UK in the independent trade and exports to Germany, Denmark, Malta with more quality conscious markets to come. A family-run business led by husband & wife team, Steven & Lynne Duthie, Esker Spirits has evolved from a kitchen hobby, to distilling in the shed before, in April 2017, moving to premises in the beautiful Kincardine Estate on Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire. And it’s here in Royal Deeside where the inspiration for Esker Spirits comes from – all the spirits contain the sap from silver birches which are everywhere around the distillery.

Try these two in a Negroni. Makar Mulberry Aged, the sweet, smoky flavour quietly cuts through the Campari and really makes for a super enjoyable and very easy-to-drink Negroni. Next up is the slightly sweeter Garden Shed Côte-Rôtie Aged Gin. This is aged in an old wine barrique. This, honestly, is one of the best Negroni gins I have found. Aberdeen City gave rise to one of the most notable clippers to sail the seas. One of those ships, The Thermopylae was launched in 1868 and on its first trip set speed records on her way to Melbourne via Shanghai and Foochow. This vessel played a fundamental role in opening up trade routes with the Far East – and one of the key items they returned with was tea.Of the future, Lynne says: “We are focusing on building our brand and making it easier for our customers to find our spirits on the shelf – whether they are in a shop, or in a bar. There is always some development work going on at the distillery so you never know when new products might start appearing… watch this space!” Today, the British have made gin very much their own drink, and it is now enjoying incredible popularity. While dominated by juniper, any number of botanicals can be infused — from aniseed to orange blossom — to achieve the desired taste. This has opened the door to a plethora of new and exciting gins, creating an upcoming and innovative craft-gin industry.

The trend has become so popular, that nowadays serving gin with weird and wonderful fruits, herbs and spices has almost become the norm and with dedicated gin bars popping up all over the country, the varieties appear endless with little sign of slowing down. So what have we got in the glass? Tasting notes from the competition were: “Nose: soft and mellow with bright, leafy notes, plump fruit and a subtle spice. Taste: this has a pleasant mouth feel with a good viscosity; the spirit coats the tongue and the flavours gradually unfurl.

So what do we get in the glass? Juniper, Heather, Rosehip, Peppercorn and Citrus. Esker Gin will also have Silver Birch Tree sap from tree in the local Kincardine Castle Estate. Esker will be the first Scottish Gin I know of to use Birch Tree sap in its recipe. It will give the Gin a refreshing sweetness; Birch Tree sap is renowned for its health-boosting properties. Early spring is a critical time for us as we work to tap trees when the sap is at its peak. This is something we have done for a few years now and we are always keen to ensure that we harvest the sap responsibly and sustainably. With so many silver birches to choose from, this is relatively simple! The Company’s original gin is distilled using nine botanicals, some of which are grown around the farm. Double distilled in a copper still called Amy, the gin offers a very smooth impression on first sipping. Strike a happy balance between your drink looking attractive and tasting great. We take the first sip of our gin with our eyes, so to ignore presentation would be a mistake!

Badvo Distillery is the brainchild of Helen Stewart, an English Literature student whose family have been farming in Pitlochry for over 400 years. Kirkjuvagr Gin will be distributed through specialist retailers later this year, with an online shop planned also. It seems like it does with Minus 33, who have concocted a solution to the high calorie content in flavoured gin. The answer is sugar- or rather NO sugar! Discover wonderful wildlife tours to book and experience in Scotland, including bird watching safaris, whale watching, farm tours and much more!When it comes to accommodation in Scotland, there's a fantastic choice of amazing stays from luxury hotels to glamping getaways. This tasty looking gin has just opened its doors. For many years there has been only one gin distillery on Orkney; at the end of this year we will have three. This is another North-East gin, more specifically from Udny in Aberdeenshire. The Team at Teasmith wanted to create a gin whose flavour is made from botanicals linked to their locality, and that celebrate local history.