Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Islay Gin Ltd, Islay House Square, Bridgend, Isle of Islay PA44 7NZ, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Nerabus is a small hamlet situated in the Rinns area on the west coast of Islay and overlooks the Loch Indall an Islay sea loch. The ‘bus’ part of Nerabus can be seen in other hamlets and villages around Islay; it means farm and we have interpreted the Nera part as – ‘by the sea’.

Nerabus is surrounded by wildlife, including red and roe deer, geese and recently, a pair of sea eagles. The spring sees the geese depart and brings swallows, hen harriers and choughs.

Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Slochd Measach otherwise known as The Giant’s Grave is a Neolithic chambered cairn located between Nerabus and the summit of Beinn Tart a’Mhill. Around the Nerabus Cemetry is also a memorial to the Clan Donald – so Nerabus is one of the many historical sites on Islay.

The inspiration for our brand and botanicals stemmed from the abundance of wild Islay Heather, Islay Gorse and the wild deer that roam. The wild gorse for our second gin is all over the island, beautiful in a yellow bloom from February onwards. The Heather blooms once a year during August and September.

Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Discover Isle of Islay Gin

The spirit of Nerabus

Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Heather

Scotland is renowned for its purple/pink blooms of heather in the summer months. It only blooms once a year and can usually be found on wet peated ground. Islay has an abundance of heather and the peated moorlands of Islay are perfect for the heather to grow and flourish. Heather can withstand harsh climates and can be found growing as far north as Iceland.

The wild Islay heather is picked sustainably in the summer months when the flowers are out. It is then dried over the winter months.

Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Gorse

Gorse is a bright yellow bush and is plentiful in Scotland and on the islands. Islay is no exception and the gorse flowers for most of the year. The spring brings the scent of coconut and almond with its flowers. It is also known in Scotland as Whin and it can sometimes be mistaken for Broom which also has yellow flowers. The gorse has sharp spikes along its stem and can withstand the strong winds of Islay.

The wild Islay gorse is picked sustainably in the spring and summer months when the yellow flowers are at their best. Like the heather flowers, it is dried over the winter months.

Isle of Islay Gin Nerabus Heather

Nerabus Heather Gin is our first Gin. It is a juniper led gin together with eight spices and herbs and infused with wild Islay Heather. Its alcohol content is 42% ABV.

Why Choose 42% alcohol content?
For Gin to be legally called gin, it has to be a minimum alcohol content of 37.5%. We wanted to be able to drink our Nerabus Islay Gin neat, with tonic and in cocktails and through our tasting trials thought that 42% ABV fulfilled that ambition.

Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Tasting Notes
Expect a subtle floral aroma, earthy undertones from the Heather and a noticeably smooth finish from the Islay water. The Heather is sustainably hand picked on the island in the later summer months and dried over the winter.

To Serve
Serve with a slice of lime, a block of ice and an aromatic tonic. And if you have a sprig of fresh rosemary to hand, that adds to the lovely aromas.

Isle of Islay Gin Nerabus Gorse

Like Heather, Gorse is in abundance on the Isle of Islay and stays longer in bloom than the Heather. We wanted a lighter gin incorporating gorse, sweet almond and citrus . The gin is juniper led and a further seven herbs and spices are added to create Nerabus Gorse, 40% ABV.

Why Choose 40% alcohol content?
We wanted a range of gins that offer different alcohol strengths as people have different tastes and preferences. Our Gorse gin is the lightest version we produce at 40% ABV.

Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Tasting Notes
With the complexity of the juniper, gorse, citrus and sweet almond this gorse gin works well with a plainer tonic. We chose a Mediterranean tonic . First roll the neat gin around the whole of your mouth to really get the flavours; your cheeks will sense the sweetness and lightness of this gin.

To Serve
As the Nerabus Gorse is a lighter gin you may even want to drink it neat with a block of ice. As the Nerabus Gorse is lighter it is excellent in cocktails (see our cocktail recipes). If you would like to add tonic, choose a plainer tonic like a Mediterranean tonic. Add a block of ice, and a slice of lemon.

Isle of Islay Gin Nerabus Heather Navy

Following our original recipe of the heather Gin (42% ABV), the Heather Navy Gin is a stronger version with its alcohol content being 57 % which is 114 proof.

Why Choose 57% alcohol content?
The British Royal Navy would often keep their gin on board their vessels below deck where they also stored their gunpowder. To ensure that the merchants providing the gin were not selling diluted spirits. It is thought that they would test out how strong their gin was by testing it on a small sample of gunpowder soaked in spirit. If the gunpowder didn’t light then the gin had been diluted down, if the gunpowder still lit then they knew that the gin was at least 57% abv (114 proof); it became therefore known as Navy Strength Gin.

Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Tasting Notes
The earthiness of the Heather comes through stronger in the Navy Strength. First try a little on the front of your tongue where you will taste the sweetness of the gin. Then swallow a small amount, you will feel the strength of the Navy Gin in your throat.

To Serve
Like the Nerabus Heather 42 %, the Nerabus Heather Navy is nicely paired with an aromatic tonic or a plain tonic with a couple of dashes of Angostura Bitters. Add a block of ice, slice of lime or orange to bring out the favours.

Isle of Islay Gin Nerabus Gorse Navy

We have made both our Nerabus Heather Navy and our Nerabus Gorse Navy 57% abv – traditional Navy Strength Gin.

Why Choose 57% alcohol content?
The British Royal Navy would often keep their gin on board their vessels below deck where they also stored their gunpowder. To ensure that the merchants providing the gin were not selling diluted spirits. It is thought that they would test out how strong their gin was by testing it on a small sample of gunpowder soaked in spirit. If the gunpowder didn’t light then the gin had been diluted down, if the gunpowder still lit then they knew that the gin was at least 57% abv (114 proof); it became therefore known as Navy Strength Gin.

Isle of Islay Gin Luxurious of Nerabus

Tasting Notes
The sweet almond comes through the most in the Nerabus Gorse Navy Strength. The spirit is strong and delicate and the sweet almond is a powerful flavour. First taste the gin neat on the roof of your mouth. You will feel the warmth of the strength of the gin. Next, swallow a small amount neat and you will feel the heat on your throat.

To Serve
If you like your spirit tasting strong, then just add a block of ice. You can also keep your Navy Gin in the fridge. Pour over a block of ice, add a slice of lemon and Mediterranean or Indian tonic.

Recommended Serves

How to enjoy

In The Evening

Dirty Martini

Ingredients

– Twist of lemon peel
– Lemon juice for coating the rim of the glass
– 50 mls Nerabus Gin
– 15 mls Vermouth like Noilly Prat

Place your martini glass in the freezer for 30 mins then coat the rim of the glass with lemon juice.

First pour in your gin then your vermouth. Stir gently with your twist of lemon.

The Gimlet

Ingredients

– 60 mls of Navy Strength Gin
– 45 mls Rose’s Lime Cordial
– 22mls freshly squeezed lime juice

Place your Gin goblet in the freezer for 30 mins. Add all the ingredients, mix and add ice if like it cool and long.

Nerabus Bomb

Ingredients

– 35 mls freshly squeezed lemon juice
– 45 mls of Gin 3 tsp caster sugar
– 90 mls Champagne or Prosecco
– A lemon slice to garnish
– A dash of Chambourd is optional for pinkness and sweetness

In a cocktail shaker, mix the lemon juice and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Add a few cubes of ice, the gin and shake well.

Strain into a champagne glass and top up with bubbles.

Summer Serves

Nerabus Heather G&T

Ingredients

– 50 mls Nerabus Heather Gin
– Aromatic Tonic to your taste
– Slice of lime and sprig of rosemary
– Lime juice for the rim of the glass

Chill your Gin goblet in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then lightly add lime juice around the rim of the glass. Add your Gin and top up with tonic to your taste. Add a slice of lime and a sprig of rosemary to garnish.

Nerabus Gorse G&T

Ingredients

– 50 mls Nerabus Gorse Gin
– AMediterranean Tonic to your taste
– Slice of lemon
– Lemon juice for the rim of the glass

Chill your Gin goblet in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then lightly add lemon juice around the rim of the glass. Add your Gin and top up with tonic to your taste. Add a slice of lemon to garnish.

Tangerine Dream

Ingredients

– 60 mls Clementine Gin (see recipe)
– 60 mls Campari
– 120 mls Freshly squeezed clementines
– 1 bottle of Champagne or Prosecco

Chill 6 flutes in the freezer or half fill the glasses with ice for 30 minutes then empty out the ice.

Add 10 mls of Clementine Gin into each flute.

Add 10 mls of Campari to the top of the Clementine Gin. Add 20 mls of freshly squeezed clementine juice to each glass then slowly top up with Champagne of Prosecco.

Holiday Cocktails

Espresso Martini

Ingredients

– 50 mls Gin
– 22mls Tia Maria or Kahlua
– 22ml cold coffee (espresso preferably)
– Coffee beans to garnish

Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add the gin, Tia Maria or Kahlua and espresso. Shake together then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Breakfast Martini

Ingredients

– 50 mls Clementine Gin (see below)
– 15 mls triple sec
– 15 mls freshly squeezed lemon juice
– 1 heaped tsp Nerabus Gin Marmalade
– Twist of orange peel to garnish

Pour all the ingredeints into a shaker, shaking well to dissolve the marmalade as much as possible. Add ice, shake for 30 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass. Add a twist of orange to garnish.

Clementine Gin

Ingredients

– 3 large Clementines (makes approx. 900mls)
– 200g caster sugar
– 700 mls Gin

Quarter the clementines (keep the skin on) and add them to a 1.5 ltr jar. Add the sugar and gin. Seal and leave to steep for 2 weeks. Turn the jar up and down every few days. After 2 weeks, strain through a sieve. Discard the clementines and pour the gin back into the jar – clementine gin!

Festive Favourites

Negroni

Ingredients

– 22mls sweet vermouth
– 22mls Campari
– 22mls Gin
– Slice of orange

Pop a crystal whisky tumbler in the freezer for 20 minutes. Mix the ingredients together in a shaker, pour into the crystal glass and garnish with a slice of orange.