For this, “The Botanist”, small-batch, artisanal Islay gin we use nine of the classic gin aromatics ‘“ orris root, cassia bark, coriander seed, etc ‘“ and augment these with a heady harvest of 22 local botanicals, hand-picked by our expert foraging team from the windswept hills, peat bogs and Atlantic shores of this Hebridean island of Islay.

This truly seasonal and exotic cocktail is then slow “simmer” distilled in our unique and cherished Lomond pot-still, affectionately known by our head distiller Jim McEwan as “Ugly Betty”. Betty prefers to work at low-pressure and won’t be rushed. So our precious botanicals are slowly and gently coaxed into releasing their complex, signature aromatics.

This was a unique project for Jim. Jim says he had to “learn a new dance” with Betty, and none of us knew what to expect from that first, achingly-slow 17 hour distillation. The result: a highly distinctive, complex, floral gin with outstanding finish and impeccable provenance. In an age of re-badged industrial gins, the Botanist stands out as a truly artisanal, small-batch, hand-crafted labour of love and distiller’s art. A breath of botanical Islay in every glass.