Though known for its legendary whisky, Scotland has a bustling gin scene sprawling through its stunning landscape. It’s not just small brands made in Scotland, many large and well-known gins are produced in Scotland too - including bartender favourite Tanqueray!
Here’s a list of some of the best Scottish gins:
Glaswegin
We do love a play on words here, especially a portmanteau, and Glaswegin is giving that to us! With its dazzling geometric bottle designed by award-winning Glaswegian designer Paul Gray, this gin immediately catches the eye. Glaswegin includes 8 different botanicals carefully chosen by the team (milk thistle, Italian juniper, Russian coriander, angelica, orange flower, camomile flower, pink peppercorns and bay leaf - phew!). Fun fact, milk thistle is sometimes said to prevent hangovers - but we’re not making any promises!
Smooth and fresh, this gin is really versatile when it comes to the serving. Why not try a G&T with elderflower tonic, or light tonic and a shot of elderflower liqueur!
Size: 700ml
ABV: 41.1%
Find here: £37.20
All out of your Glaswegin? Don’t buy another bottle, check out the brand’s refill packs and reuse your original bottle! Find them here: £29.95
Lind and Lime Gin
Another beautiful bottle, Lind and Lime does not disappoint when it comes to presentation. Lind and Lime won best London Dry in the 2020 Scottish Gin Awards, and when you taste the crisp citrus notes surrounding its juniper core you can understand why. Lind and Lime is named after James Lind, a Scotsman who worked towards the prevention of scurvy in the British Navy. He’s even said to have performed the first clinical trial in history! The ‘Lime’ in the name doesn’t indicate a flavour persay, but refers to a lime cordial created in Leith which helped prevent scurvy.
History aside, celebrate the eradication of scurvy by using Lind and Lime in a French 75 - you won’t regret it!
Size: 700ml
ABV: 44%
Find here: £34.95
Persie Spaniel Gin
Persie has been a fan favourite for a while now and the husband and wife team behind the gin keep going up in the world. In 2019, Spaniel Gin achieved a Silver Medal for contemporary Flavoured Gin at the Scottish Gin Awards, and just last year Scottish Field magazine named it one of the Top 10 Scottish Gins. Spaniel gin is one of Persie’s four Charity Dog Gins, each inspired by and named after a different breed. Dachshund Gin Liqueur, Labrador Gin, Dog Days Gin and Spaniel Gin all donate £1 per bottle to PADS (Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society).
We’ve chosen Spaniel Gin as we love the mace and cinnamon warmth that this gin has, while still being silky soft (just like a well-groomed Spaniel!). This is a brilliant gift for a Spaniel owner/enthusiast and the spices make it ideal for a warming Negroni.
Size: 500ml
ABV: 41%
Find here: £30.95
Crofter’s Tears Highland Gin
Despite the name, this gin is not made up of the tears of crofters. The purple heather flowers on the bottle not only make it an elegant addition to your gin bottle collection but also signpost an important element of this gin. The heather tips can only be harvested in July and August and are handpicked to be blended with juniper and a range of other botanicals.
Highland Gin is made in a London Dry style and has a hint of fresh lime to its flavour. Try this in a classic G&T with Mediterranean tonic water and a twist of lime.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £37.99
The Botanist
This gin is rapidly taking over the shelves of pubs and bars across Britain and you’ve almost certainly seen it featured on one of those extensive gin lists your local decided to create when it ‘rebranded’ and all the decor turned a sage colour. Not that we’re complaining - bring on the gin! The Botanist is exclusively made on the remote Scottish island of Islay. The 22 botanicals are foraged by the Botanist team on Islay, including botanicals such as creeping thistle, apple mint, wood sage and white clover.
The Botanist blend is satin smooth, with sweet and earthy tones combining with delicate florals and herbals. The complexity of the gin is best tasted in a classic G&T - tonic is up to you!
Size: 700ml
ABV: 46%
Find here: UK £35.10 // US $47.99
Rock Rose Gin
Created by Dunnet Bay Distillers, this gin was formulated after 55 experiments - meaning it’s seriously good. The meticulously adapted blend of botanicals makes for a full-bodied, well-rounded gin full of fruity berries and juniper. The finish is slightly sharp but smoothed out by sherbet lemon notes.
This earthy gin needs little interference, however adding a twist of orange in your G&T really brings out the sweetness in the berries. If you’re not looking for the sweet notes, try a sprig of rosemary instead.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 41.5%
Find here: £33.39
All out of your Rock Rose? Don’t buy another bottle, check out the brand’s refill packs and reuse your original bottle! Find them here: £30
Classic Edinburgh Gin
Another gin you may have heard of before, Edinburgh Gin’s premixed G&Ts are a big hit all over the country. However, why not make your own cocktails with their bottled London Dry. The 14 botanicals make this gin beautifully aromatic on the tongue, with floral lavender and lemongrass. The bright punch of citrus from the orange peel works alongside the juniper to create a smooth and rounded finish. Edinburgh Gin is always coming out with new flavours and interesting campaigns - they are currently doing a collaboration with award winning actress and writer Phoebe Waller Bridge!
The Classic is still our favourite, however, and deserves to be showcased in a big gin bowl with a tonic and a twist of orange.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 43%
Find it here: £26.35
Isle of Harris Gin
It seems Scottish gin cannot exist without being inside a beautiful bottle! The swirling bottle of Isle of Harris Gin echoes its birthplace’s whirls of wind that rush off the sea and into the arms of the towns. One does feel a connection to the sea when drinking this gin, with the addition of hand-harvested Sugar Kelp giving it an apt maritime twist. Fruit flavours of grapefruit, orange and mango are balanced by bitter pine and juniper and leave a dry, clean finish.
Harris Distillery recommends you take this gin neat, or over large ice cubes. They also offer a Sugar Kelp Aromatic Water, a drop of which develops the maritime essence of the drink.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 45%
Find it here: UK £40
For more gin-spiration (like what we did there?!), how about having a read through The Best Gins to Try This Year, What are Colour Changing Gins?! or The Best Gins for a Martini?