Tag: gin

Palace of Holyroodhouse launches gin infused with herbs from its historical royal Physic Garden 

A dry gin infused with botanicals grown in the Physic Garden at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish seat of the Royal Family, is now available online and from all shops managed by the Royal Collection Trust, a department of the Royal Household. 

The Palace of Holyroodhouse Dry Gin is infused with mint and lemon thyme hand-picked from the Physic Garden for their vibrant flavour. Inspired by the garden’s history of cultivating medicinal and culinary herbs, the botanicals – which are steeped for 24 hours before the distilling process begins – combine with juniper to create a delicately fragrant gin with a complex citrus top note.

The gin pairs beautifully with mediterranean or elderflower tonics to further enhance the refreshing flavours of the herbs. Garnished with fresh mint leaves and a sprig of thyme, it makes an elegant aperitif.

The Physic Garden was opened adjacent to the Palace in 2020 to recreate the earliest known gardens on the site, and can be freely enjoyed year-round by the people of Edinburgh and visitors to the Palace.

Founded in the grounds of the Palace in 1670 by two Scottish physicians, Sir Robert Sibbald and Sir Andrew Balfour, the original garden provided fresh ingredients for pharmacists and allowed students to learn the medicinal properties of plants. It was the first garden of its kind in Scotland and was the forerunner of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Today, visitors to the Physic Garden will see plants such as fennel, lavender, and lemon balm growing. Alongside, a meadow of wildflowers with healing properties evokes the 15th-century monastic gardens of Holyrood Abbey, while 17th-century royal gardens have been reimagined through geometric springtime displays of bulbs including crocuses, tulips, and alliums.  

In a further nod to its historical surroundings, the floral bottle design of the Palace of Holyroodhouse Dry Gin is inspired by the 17th-century Scottish textiles seen on the bed in Mary, Queen of Scots’ Bedchamber inside the Palace. With interlacing leaves, vines, and flowers, the stylised foliage is typical of Jacobean crewelwork, a fashionable type of embroidery from the time.

All profits from sales of the gin go towards the care of, and access to, the Royal Collection through the public opening of the Royal Residences, exhibitions, loans, and educational programmes managed by Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse Dry Gin, 40% abv, can now be purchased from the Royal Collection Trust shops in Edinburgh, London, and Windsor, and from the online shop for £40.00 for a 70cl bottle.

Palace of Holyroodhouse launches its first gin with herbs from its historical garden for Burns Night

Abbey Strand gardens Royal Mile edinburgh.Photograph David Cheskin.06.2020

A dry gin infused with botanicals grown in the Physic Garden at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish seat of the Royal Family, is now available from Royal Collection Trust, a department of the Royal Household.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse Dry Gin is infused with mint and lemon thyme, two distinctly fruity herbs that have been hand-picked from the Physic Garden for their vibrant flavour. Inspired by the garden’s history of cultivating medicinal and culinary herbs, the botanicals – which are steeped for 24 hours before the distilling process begins – combine with juniper to create a delicately fragrant gin with a complex citrus top note.

The gin pairs beautifully with mediterranean or elderflower tonics to further enhance the refreshing flavours of the herbs. Garnished with fresh mint leaves and a sprig of thyme, it will make an elegant aperitif deserving of Scotland’s foremost poet.

The Physic Garden was opened adjacent to the Palace in 2020 to recreate the earliest known gardens on the site, and can be freely enjoyed year-round by the people of Edinburgh and visitors to the Palace.

Founded in the grounds of the Palace in 1670 by two Scottish physicians, Sir Robert Sibbald and Sir Andrew Balfour, the original garden provided pharmacists with vital, fresh ingredients and allowed students to learn the medicinal properties of plants. It was the first of its kind in Scotland and was the forerunner of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Today, visitors to the Physic Garden will see plants such as fennel, lavender, and lemon balm growing. It is joined by a meadow of wildflowers with healing properties, evoking the 15th-century monastic gardens of Holyrood Abbey, while 17th-century royal gardens have been reimagined through geometric displays of bulbs including crocuses, tulips, and alliums. 

In a further nod to its historical surroundings, the gin bottle’s floral design is inspired by the 17th-century Scottish textiles seen on the bed in Mary, Queen of Scots’ Bedchamber at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. With interlacing leaves, vines, and flowers, the stylised foliage design was typical of Jacobean crewelwork – a fashionable type of embroidery at the time.

All profits from sales of the gin go towards the care of, and access to, the Royal Collection through the public opening of the Royal Residences, exhibitions, loans, and educational programmes managed by Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse Dry Gin, 40% abv, can now be purchased from the Royal Collection Trust shop in Edinburgh at £40.00 for a 70cl bottle.

Burns Night cocktail recipe crafted by Scottish gin brand Caorunn

Caorunn

For those non whisky drinkers, why not look at some handcrafted, small batch Scottish Gin. Caorunn (pronounced ka-roon) Gin comes from the Gaelic name for Rowan Berry, which grows wild within a 5-minute walk from the distillery.

The Rowan Berry is infused with five other locally foraged botanicals including dandelion leaf, heather, Coul blush apple and bog myrtle along with six traditional gin botanicals and natural Scottish water. Fresh and floral on the nose, this gin is clean, sweet, full-bodied and aromatic with a long-lasting dry and crisp finish. 

Burns Cocktail (Cranachan Cocktail)

35ml Caorunn

15ml Calvados

15ml Honey syrup

15ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice

5 Fresh raspberries

20ml Pasteurised egg white

Top soda

Shake first 6 ingredients and double strain into hi-ball.  Fill glass with ice and top with soda water. Garnish with large cinnamon stick and cinnamon sugar dusting.

When I was looking into Burns Night drinks, I found that a lot of them were very focussed on quite masculine flavours and were generally whisky heavy (writes ELLIE TAYLOR).  

I looked into doing a savoury cocktail to sit alongside the traditional Burns meal but felt as though this was a little bit too obvious and wanted to do something that was a bit more relevant.  

Cranachan came up a lot as the most popular Scottish dessert associated with traditional meals so I thought I would play about with the flavours and ingredients found within that. Rather than using apple as a direct ingredient, I used Calvados (apple brandy) to bring apple into the recipe and also bring additional complexity and depth. Apple and raspberry is a really classic Scottish flavour combination.

This is a drink designed to appeal to a wide audience, to be enjoyed after your traditional Scottish meal and one which stays true to Caorunn.

Edinburgh distillery launches new cherry blossom gin for under £20

The brand-new cherry-flavoured gin is exclusively available in all 103 of Aldi’s Scottish stores 

Aldi Scotland has partnered with The Old Curiosity Distillery once again to launch Eidyn Cherry Blossom, a new, small-batch, cherry-flavoured premium gin that is available for just 19.99.  

This new gin from Eidyn (pronounced ee-din), which is named after the Scottish Gaelic for Edinburgh, is exclusive to Aldi Scotland. The cherry blossom produces a fresh floral note, underscored with angelica root, winter savoury and coriander botanicals, which gives way to a light juniper finish. All the botanicals used are grown, hand-picked, and dried from the distillery’s garden in Edinburgh.  

This new gin makes for the perfect artisan tipple and the Old Curiosity Distillery team recommend Eidyn Cherry Blossom to be served over ice with your preferred tonic, a sliver of lime and a black cherry garnish. The team are really pleased to be working with Aldi once again to create a new version of the Eidyn gin.  

Mark Boswell, Head Distiller, said: “The way we produce our gin means that our carbon emissions are incredibly low, which is something that is very important to us. With the launch of the new Eidyn Cherry Blossom gin, it is really encouraging to see Aldi support both the craft gin industry and sustainability.” 

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “We at Aldi have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside The Old Curiosity Distillery since the launch of the original Eidyn gin back in 2020, which has proven to be incredibly popular and has gone on to win multiple awards.  

“Scotland has such a rich abundance of fresh ingredients, so it’s great to partner with a supplier that works so hard to bring them to our shelves.  

“We are extremely proud to be able to introduce another premium Eidyn gin to our customers, this time in a deliciously floral cherry blossom flavour. I am proud that our competitive prices mean that our customers can still enjoy premium, high-quality products such as Eidyn Cherry Blossom.”  

Aldi Scotland prides itself on working with a wide range of Scottish suppliers who are passionate about bringing the best of Scotland’s vibrant food and drink industry to its customers. 

You can find your nearest Aldi here.  

Aldi launches new own brand gin

Toradh Seville Orange Floured Gin hits shelves for just £14.99

Aldi Scotland is adding to its range of own brand premium gin, with the addition of the new Toradh (pronounced Tor-ig) Seville Orange Flavour Gin.

Hitting shelves across all 102 Aldi Scotland stores, it is the latest Scottish gin to be offered by the value supermarket selling for just £14.99 for a 70cl bottle.

The perfect way to be-gin summer, the new addition to the Toradh range is a rich and vibrant gin, bursting with flavour. Boasting notes of light lemongrass and a delicate, floral orange blossom, when topped with ice and a cold splash of Ridge Valley Tonic Water (500ml, £0.99) customers get an incredibly smooth and delightful G&T with a fruity twist.

The Seville Orange Flavoured Gin is the sixth edition in Aldi Scotland’s own brand premium Toradh range, which also includes Plum and Pink Grapefruit Gin; Tropical Gin and the classic Original Gin, meaning Scots shoppers have an incredible selection to choose from.

The range is inspired by Scotland’s natural landscapes and its world-class larder. ‘Toradh’, meaning ‘produce’ in Gaelic, celebrates Scotland’s fertile lands and the abundance of fine ingredients grown here. 

Aldi Scotland pride themselves in working with a wide range of Scottish suppliers who are passionate about bringing the best of Scotland’s vibrant food and drink industry to their customers. 

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Our Toradh Gin range is already incredibly popular, and the Seville Orange Flavour Gin will make the perfect addition to the collection.

“It is an incredibly refreshing drink, bursting with flavour and vibrant notes, that is sure to delight our customers.

“Scotland has such a rich abundance of fresh ingredients, which is almost unmatched by any other country in the world.   Our Toradh range was created in homage to our land and to the fresh produce grown here, and we are fortunate to work with such a high calibre of suppliers to bring it to shelves.”

You can find you nearest Aldi here.

Aldi Scotland’s Toradh Gin Range includes:

  • Toradh Seville Orange Flavoured Gin (£14.99, 70cl)
  • Toradh Plum and Pink Grapefruit Gin (£14.99, 70cl)
  • Toradh Tropical Gin (£14.99, 70cl)
  • Toradh Original Gin (£14.99, 70cl)
  • Toradh Scottish Premium Pink Gin (£14.99, 70cl)
  • Toradh Rhubarb and Ginger Gin (£14.99, 70cl)
  • Toradh Tropical Martini Ready to Drink Cocktail (£1.49, 250ml)
  • Toradh Citrus Gin Fizz Ready to Drink Cocktail (£1.49, 250ml)
  • Toradh Fruit Gin Bramble Ready to Drink Cocktail (£1.49, 250ml) 
  • Toradh Rhubarb Gin Fizz Ready to Drink Cocktail (£1.49, 250ml)
  • Toradh Rhubarb and Ginger Scottish Gin Liqueur (£8.99, 50cl)
  • Toradh Raspberry Scottish Gin Liqueur (£8.99, 50cl)

Martin Miller’s Gin: World Bee Week

This May, Martin Miller’s Gin, the world’s most awarded gin brand, proudly partners with leading UK-wide venues and local beekeepers, in a week-long national celebration supporting the  UN’s World Bee Day 2022.  

Martin Miller’s Gin is partnering with Bermondsey Street Bees, Manchester & District Beekeeper’s  Association (MDBKA) and Edinburgh Honey Co. with the mission to raise awareness across the country  of the importance of bee pollinators, particularly in the urban environment.

Key venues including Duchess  of Dalston, Callooh Callay Chelsea and Gold in London, Atlas Bar, Pen & Pencil in Manchester and Pear  Tree, The Raging Bull and OohMami, Edinburgh will partake in this extended initiative – World Bee Week,  16-23 May 2022.  

The week-long celebration by Martin Miller’s Gin will see each partner venue list the Bee’s Knees Cocktail,  made with Martin Miller’s SUMMERFUL Gin. Every serve will be accompanied with an information leaflet  and complimentary thyme seeds for customers to plant at home and encourage their own thriving bee  community. Known to attract all variety of bees, the thyme seeds also provide a much-needed reminder  of the importance of planting, and the role that this plays in allowing bees to thrive within an urban  environment. 

The Bee’s Knees  

The Bee’s Knees is a classic, refreshing summer cocktail, composed of gin, honey and lemon. A gin cocktail  with a twist, the Bee’s Knees is made with Martin Miller’s SUMMERFUL Gin – a fresh variant from the  brand which includes notes of rosemary and thyme, perfectly paired with artisanal raw honey from  Bermondsey Street Bees. The result is a crisp, complex serve offering a herbaceous and citrus finish,  underpinned with cherry-forward notes further heightened by the honey. 

Florencia Orlando, Brand Manager, Martin Miller’s Gin comments: “We had an incredible response to this campaign last year and we’re thrilled to be taking this initiative around the country, for longer!

“The humble  botanical – thyme – is the magic ingredient for both our SUMMERFUL gin and in the mission to save our  bees. We’re delighted reignite our partnership with Bermondsey Street Bees who front the campaign  from London.

“They could not be more aligned with Martin Miller’s Gin in both its quest for high quality  and perfection but also their sustainability values. Incorporating Bermondsey Street Bees honey within our  SUMMERFUL cocktail is a harmonious match and we are looking forward to everyone sampling the serve  this May.” 

Sarah Wyndham-Lewis, Co-Founder, Bermondsey Street Bees comments: “It has never been more  important to support the urban honeybees and their wild bee cousins, and we are delighted to be  partnering with Martin Millers’ Gin and their “World Bee Week” offering to do so.

“We hope through this  partnership Londoners will learn more about these pollinators and indeed will be encouraged to plant  bee friendly seeds. Simply to survive, a single honeybee hive requires around 50kg of pollen and 250 kg  of nectar every year, and this is prior to any surplus honey becoming available for humans to harvest.

They  also need to share this City’s forage resources with the bumblebees, the solitary bee species and other  vital pollinators, so the more green-fingered Londoners, the better!” 

World Bee Day  

This year, The United Nations has selected 20 May 2022 as World Bee Day. Created to draw attention  to the importance of pollinators and sustainable means to support their development, while combatting  the threats the face, World Bee Day aims to educate the public on the importance of bees and the key  role pollinators play in both food supply and biodiversity.  

World Bee Week  

The extended week-long celebration by Martin Miller’s Gin spotlights the importance bees play within our  everyday lives, and how vital it is to take action to protecting this species.

Of the 25,000 species of bees on Earth, only seven are honeybee species, which are the most efficient and successful pollinators, key to  the subsistence of the planet’s ecosystems.

In addition to receiving a packet of thyme seeds with each  Bee’s Knees serve, guests will also be provided with information on key bee conservation charities to  donate to, including British Beekeepers Society and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.  

How to make a Bee’s Knees  

Ingredients  

• 50ml Martin Miller’s SUMMERFUL Gin  

• 25ml fresh lemon juice  

• 20ml Bermondsey Street Bees Exmoor Honey  

Method  

• Add the gin, lemon juice and honey to a shaker with some ice (if you don’t have a shaker, a jam  (or honey!) jar will do) 

• Shake until chilled  

• Strain into a cocktail glass  

For further information, please visit www.martinmillersgin.com 

Aldi adds a splash of gin-spiration to your summer drink

Pimms not packing a punch? Well get ready to be gin-spired by the newest additions to the Scottish gin range at Aldi. 

You can never tell what you’re going to get with a Scottish summer, but Aldi is channelling all the sunshine this August with brand new additions to its Toradh gin range including two new Scottish Gin Liqueurs and four delicious pre-mixed Gin Fizz cocktails – making sure your summer drink has that extra ‘je ne sais quoi’, even if you didn’t quite make it to the Riviera. 

At just £1.49 for 250ml (6% ABV), the Rhubarb Gin Fizz, Citrus Gin Fizz, Tropical Gin Martini and Fruit Gin Bramble are the perfect tipples to enjoy while taking in the rays.  These handy cocktails in a can are made by long term supplier Eden Mill and with four to pick from you are guaranteed to find a favourite….or four.    

Bursting with botanicals, the two brand-new Toradh Gin Liqueurs are priced at just £8.99 for 50cl and come in Rhubarb and Ginger or Raspberry. The perfect addition to any drinks cabinet, the liqueurs can be topped up with Aldi’s own Ridge Valley tonic, or topped with Aldi’s Costellore Prosecco (£5.99, 75cl) for the perfect summer evening cocktail. 

These new additions to Aldi’s Scottish gin line-up join Aldi’s award-winning* Scottish Gin range including its premium Scottish Gin, Eidyn (£19.99, 70cl) and Toradh Scottish Rhubarb & Ginger Gin and Premium Pink Gin (£14.99, 70cl) and the Botanical Project Scottish Gin available in Scottish Dry, Passionfruit & Coconut, Plum & Pink Grapefruit and Chilli & Ginger (all £15.99, 70cl), and McQueen Colour Changing Gin (£14.49, 70cl). 

Aldi’s new summer flavours are on sale now at all 96 Aldi stores in Scotland and are sure to shake up any BBQ or garden-party this August. You can find your nearest Aldi store here. 

Aldi currently works with over 90 Scottish suppliers, and after reaching their initial goal of stocking over 450 Scottish products by the end of 2020, the supermarket has now increased this target to stock over 500 locally sourced products in the next two years. 

Celebrate World Gin Day with Morrisons

World Gin Day takes place this Saturday (12th June) and Morrisons has everything gin lovers need to celebrate.

There are deals in store and online on a range of classic and flavoured gins – most of these last until Sunday, so customers will need to grab them before they’re gone. These include the likes of Beefeater Blood Orange Gin (£14 down from £18) and Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle Gin (£23 down from £28).

Morrisons The Best London Dry Gin (£15.50) has recently been Good Housekeeping Taste Test Approved, so is therefore the perfect choice for those after a great quality classic.

Aldi launches Gin deals just in time for Christmas

Aldi has just reduced the prices of a collection of its award-winning gins from a variety of Scotland’s most-loved distillers. With flavours ranging from festive to fruity, Aldi’s gin selection proves to be the true spirit of Christmas. 

Whether you are searching for your next tipple to add to your drinks cabinet, or on the hunt for the best present for a gin enthusiast, you’ll be sure to find what you’re looking for at your local Aldi with these great festive savings.  

Award winning gins reduced from 17th December are: 

  • Eden Mill Botanical Range Passion Fruit/Plum & Pink Grapefruit Gin 70cl – Was: £15.99 Now: £14.00 
  • Eden Mill Botanical Range Original Gin/Chilli & Ginger Gin 70cl – Was: £15.99 Now: £14.00
  • Eden Mill Botanical Range Mulled Gin 70cl – Was: £15.99 Now: £14.00
  • McQueen Pink Gin 70cl – Was: £15.99 Now: £13.49
  • McQueen Colour Changing Gin 70cl – Was: £15.99 Now: £13.49
  • Old Curiosity Eidyn Premium Scottish Gin 70cl – Was: £19.99 Now: £15.99

Aldi’s full festive drinks range is on sale at all 96 Aldi Scottish stores. You can find your nearest Aldi store here.  

List of Award Wins 

International Spirits Challenge 2020 

  • Bronze – The Botanical Project Plum & Pink Grapefruit Gin 
  • Bronze – The Botanical Project Passionfruit & Coconut Gin 

Scottish Gin Awards 2020 

  • Silver London Dry Gin of the Year – Eidyn Gin 
  • Silver Flavoured Gin of the Year – McQueen Pink Gin 

Distillery toasts success of its world-first Bison Grass Gin

Three Wrens is raising a glass to celebrate the success of its new limited-edition Bison Grass Gin, the world’s first to be distilled and infused with the aromatic sweetgrass. 

Launched in October, the gin uses ‘Hierochloe odorata’ – an aromatic herb once thought to exclusively grow in Poland’s ancient Bialowieza Forest. It is long hailed for its sacred properties in northern Europe and North America, where indigenous people used it in prayer and purifying ceremonies. 

Three Wrens’ founder master distiller Nick Wadeson has been secretly growing the bison grass from seed in wooden planters at the company’s base in Cholmondeley, Cheshire, since the spring. Fully organic, the rare sweetgrass has been propagated and replanted along the way to ensure 100% sustainability. 

The bison grass is vapour infused and distilled with rich Tuscan juniper berries, home-grown apple mint, lemon mint, fresh lime, grains of paradise and five other carefully selected botanicals. It is then macerated in the finished gin slowly in order to impart more of the flavour, before the finished spirit is filtered and bottled at 41.5% ABV. 

The result is a gin with aromas of fresh hay and lemongrass, a rich hit of juniper on the palate and a long, smooth and herbaceous finish. Each bottle comes with a strand of bison grass in it for authenticity. 

Three Wrens Bison Grass Gin is best served with a classic or elderflower tonic, with a slice of fresh apple. Alternatively, serve it with cloudy apple juice and a squeeze of lime in a gin-based twist on the classic bison grass vodka cocktail, Tatanka.  

Just months after launch, the unique gin – bison grass has only been used to infuse vodka before – has been awarded a Gold medal in the Contemporary category of the second tasting of The Gin Masters 2020, hosted by The Spirits Business.

The judges praised Three Wrens Bison Grass Gin for having a spicy and indulgent nose, aromatic vanilla and ginger, with a balanced and intense palate. It was also noted for its sweetness, with grassiness on the palate, as well as for being spicy, integrated and flavoursome.  

Nick Wadeson said: “We’re delighted that Three Wrens Bison Grass Gin received a Gold medal in The Gin Masters 2020. It offers a truly unique flavour experience, particularly as the key botanical has been so carefully grown and nurtured at our own distillery.”

Three Wrens Bison Grass Gin retails at £38.50 for a 70cl bottle and is available to buy from the Three Wrens website.