Isle of Bute Gin releases new nature-inspired range – which will you try first?

Scottish distiller Isle of Bute Gin is celebrating the idyllic land it calls home in a new series of small-batch gins.

Featuring Gorse Gin, Heather Gin and the world’s first Oyster Gin, the spirits are designed to capture the essence of the landscape around its Rothesay home and are distilled with ingredients sourced from the island.

Head distiller Simon Tardivel is very familiar with the island and is fond of foraging its land and shores for gin botanicals. He came to the Isle of Bute distillery after working for some of the world’s largest drinks producers, bringing cutting-edge ideas alongside a respect for traditional production methods.  

Rhona Madigan-Wheatley, co-founder of Isle of Bute Gin, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the gin that we produce. It’s authentic, has a wonderful taste profile and we think it represents the vest best of Scottish craft produce.

“I’d urge all gin appreciators to try the range – perfect for a tasting experience on a cold winter’s night. Additionally, if you’re on the west coast of Scotland or holidaying here, our team will always be delighted to give you a warm island welcome at our gin garden on Bute. Whether it’s a nosy around the distillery, a relaxed drink or a full tasting experience, all (above drinking age!) are most welcome.”

The new Isle of Bute Gin range includes:

The Oyster Gin – oyster shells from Loch Fyne on the Argyll Coast are added to the still and bring a delicate maritime essence to the gin, which the distillery team says makes it a good pairing for seafood or as the base for a dry Martini.

The Island Gin – inspired by the quaint landscape of the Scottish isles, this herbaceous and fruity gin is made with a wide range of botanicals.

The Gorse Gin – this is distilled with vibrant yellow gorse flowers hand-picked from the Mount Stuart estate, which give the gin a fresh floral nose with hints of coconut and vanilla.

The Heather Gin – heather flowers hand-picked from across the island and pink grapefruit are married with traditional gin botanicals for natural sweetness and a citrus finish.

The Oaked Gin – in a nod to Scotland’s distilling history, this gin is distilled using aged oak Scotch whisky barrels in the botanical basket to extract flavours of vanilla, sandalwood and pine.

Suggested serves, garnishes and accompaniments for all the gins can be found on the Isle of Bute Gin website.

Read about another producer in the Scottish isles here.