Deeside Activity Park, Dess, Aboyne AB34 5BD, UK
Lostloch Gin for the love of distilling
About Us
Lost Loch Spirits is owned and operated by Pete Dignan & Rich Pierce. The distillery plan was hatched as many great plans are, during a late-night drinking session.
Everything we do is all for the love of distilling, and the three things that are important at Lost Loch are the place, the process, and the spirits.
The Place – The Lost Loch Spirits distillery is in the heart of Royal Deeside, 30 miles west of Aberdeen. The distillery is built on the banks of the now drained Loch Auchlossan or the Lost Loch. The landscape and the history surrounding us seep into the storytelling, flavours, and the branding.
The Process – To maintain the highest standards Lost Loch Spirits produces using a small batch mentality in an honest and transparent way. We only use natural ingredients and where we can, we search for local produce. We respect the environment, and the distillery takes a percentage of its heat and power from a solar array, biomass boiler, and a wind turbine. We respect the legacy of distilling, whilst practising modern techniques of production.
The Spirits – We have a fresh, open, and innovative approach to spirits. Each product is small batch and thoughtfully created, drawing inspiration from local provenance and the histories of the land around us. The final products are quirky, invigorating, and imaginative, distinctly separate but part of the Lost Loch Spirits family. Our ethos is to be inventive in our thinking, to look at history for inspiration and to produce enticing and unique spirits.
Our Ethos
To be inventive in our thinking, to look at history
for inspiration and to produce a range of unique
spirits using the very best local ingredients.
Local Provenance, International Appeal.
At The Lost Loch Distillery we are proud to be a part of the
modern-day resurgence of craft distilling on Royal Deeside.
Our gin is called eeNoo, as in “it’s time for gin eenoo” (Scots slang for just now)
eeNoo is distilled with Royal Deeside honey. We also add coriander seeds, angelica root, liquorice root, orange and lemon peel to give our gin a traditional yet smooth fruity profile. To complete the unique taste of eeNoo we add heather flowers and rosehips and well as berries from Aberdeenshire. This award-winning recipe is complemented perfectly by Deeside Water from an ancient spring in the Cairngorms National Park. eeNoo holds a unanimous blind tasting award from the Global Spirits Masters.
eeNoo – always time for gin
Tasting Notes
The Nose
Sweet summer berries, think raspberry ice cream. Very little spirit hit. It is light, refreshing and enticing.
The Palate
Smooth and refreshing. The raspberries are evident, as is the honey. It gives a real sweet edge to the gin but is balanced perfectly with the juniper and orange peel which come through quite quickly. It is a superb sipping gin. Clean, fresh and not spirituous at all.
Perfect Serve
Add some tonic and fresh strawberries for a real summer explosion. Or try in a Bramble with Haroosh.
Our label artwork pays tribute to an Inuit called Eenoo who ventured to Aberdeenshire in the 1800s. May his story live on and might you drink a wee toast to his adventurous spirit.
The forgotten tale of an Inuit called Eenoo and his unusual visit to Scotland
In November 1839 Eenoolooapik, or Eenoo, arrived in Aberdeen aboard the whaling ship Neptune. Having joined the vessel at Baffin Island, Canada, Eenoo had expressed a desire to visit Scotland. He spent his time in Aberdeenshire learning western ways and teaching his Inuit skills to the locals which included showing his Qajaq (canoe) skills on the River Dee.
In April 1840 Eenoo joined the Bon Accord, a whaling ship returning to Baffin Island. After stops in Greenland he guided the vessel into the Cumberland Sound and was part responsible for its rediscovery by Europeans. Eenoo returned to his homeland in 1840 but died in 1847 leaving a son Angalook.
The full story is too long to attempt to tell here but his travels were documented by Alexander M’Donald and published in “A Narrative of Some Passages in the History of Eenoolooapik”, 1841.
Eenoolooapik
Singular Series Rucolino
Rocket, Cloves, Orange & Lemon Peel
58.3% abv 50cl
Rucolino
Regular price £36.00
It may have similar properties to rocket fuel but its rocket the salad leaf which forms the base for this lovely old Italian liqueur. We love history at Lost Loch so when we came across an old recipe book with this gem in it – we couldn’t resist! Rocket leaves, cloves, orange and lemon peel are macerated in a simple gin base for a few months until a deep green colour is achieved. The Rucolino has similar properties to an absinthe and once water is added it turns a lovely shade of white emerald with a beautiful opacity.
Singular Series Raspberry & Stem Ginger Gin
40.0% abv 50cl
Raspberry & Stem Ginger
Regular price £31.00
Introducing our Singular Series Raspberry & Stem Ginger Gin. Lost Loch Spirits original gin has been infused with Aberdeenshire raspberries, spicy stem ginger pieces and syrup to create this one-off gin. Its red, sweet, spicy and simply delicious!
Singular Series Sloe Gin
29.9% abv 50cl
Sloe Gin
Regular price £30.00
Introducing our Singular Series Sloe Gin. Lost Loch Spirits original gin infused with British sloes, sweet and tangy and simply delicious!
Tours & Tastings
After a stunning drive through the breath-taking scenery of Royal Deeside, you’ll arrive at the Loch Spirits’ Distillery where we create our award-winning spirits, inspired by the natural landscape and local history that surrounds us. There you’ll be warmly welcomed, and we’ll share our story as well as the fascinating history of gin, absinthe and the art of distilling.
You’ll learn about how Lost Loch came to be and get a flavour of what’s next, taste and smell the botanicals carefully chosen for our recipes and see how our award-winning spirits are hand-crafted (naturally, there will be tastings of them too). And if you’re the superhero who’s offered to drive for the day, we’ve got something special for you too.
Tour ticket:
- £25.00 per person (free for under 18s)
Included:
- Tour of the distillery
- A brief history of gin and absinthe and the art of distilling
- Smell and taste the Lost Loch Wall of Botanics
- Tasting of our award-winning spirits (over 18’s only)
Botanical Walk
At Lost Loch we are surrounded by beautiful countryside and natural beauty. Many of the botanicals used in distilling grow locally and can be found within a short walk from the distillery. We’ve been developing a half hour walk which you can add on to your tour and tasting or Spirits School, please get in touch on visitus@lostloch.com if you’re interested in this option.
Tour & Tasting duration: 1.5 hours
- If you have any access requirements, or any questions, please give us a call (01339883411) or send us an email and we’ll do everything we can to assist.
- Tours start from 10am and tastings from 10:30am onwards.
Lost Loch Spirits School
Travelling through Royal Deeside to get to the distillery, you’ll start to get a flavour of the natural beauty and local history that surrounds and inspires the team every day.
We’ll show you round our craft distillery, sharing how the adventure began and the fascinating stories behind each of our unique products, from Scotland’s first absinthe Murmichan to a very special family recipe, Haroosh. You’ll discover the art of distilling, guided by our expert team, using our fabulous individual copper stills and the intriguing Wall of Botanicals. You might end up with a signature gin or even an absinthe, you’ll discover your inner distiller and we’ll help you create a personalised bottle of your own spirit to take home.
Lost Loch Spirits School is perfect for a memorable day out, team event or holiday experience. Lunch is included as well as tastings of all our products. We do need a minimum of four people to run the School, however if you’d like to book one or two places, you can get a gift voucher and we’ll join you up with others to make it happen on a suitable date.
Our Spirits School is award-winning, wouldn’t you like to come and find out why? From the warm welcome to the cheery goodbye, this experience is one you’ll remember and want to repeat.
Spirits School tickets:
- £99.00 per person. If you would like to book for less than 4 people, please purchase a gift voucher and we’ll pair you up with a group of lovelies for a spirit school experience.
Includes:
- Tour of the distillery
- Use of the Lost Loch Wall of Botanics
- Provision of all base alcohol
- Locally sourced lunch
- Shared or solo use of a small copper alembic still (maximum of 3 persons per still)
- Complimentary drinks from the Lost Loch bar (soft and alcoholic)
- Complimentary Lost Loch goodie bag
- 50cl bottle of your product with bespoke printed label.
Botanical Walk
At Lost Loch we are surrounded by beautiful countryside and natural beauty. Many of the botanicals used in distilling grow locally and can be found within a short walk from the distillery. We’ve been developing a half hour walk which you can add on to your tour and tasting or Spirits School, please get in touch on visitus@lostloch.com if you’re interested in this option.
Spirits School Duration: 4 hours maximum
- If you have any access requirements, or any questions, please give us a call (01339883411) or send us an email and we’ll do everything we can to assist.
Testimonial
My Husband bought me a birthday trip to Spirit School for myself and a friend, (best husband ever!!!). We had the greatest experience, Richard talked us through the scientific parts and recipe hints and then let us loose botanical shopping. The equipment and surroundings are really beautiful, I love copper. They were very thoughtful and kept us hydrated throughout. We came away from the experience with a better appreciation of the hard work the Lost Loch Spirits team put into their award-winning spirits, our very own designer Gins, and a day to remember full of giggles. I have recommended everyone to go and create their own at Lost Loch
Susan Reynolds (Creator of the awesome Su-44 Gin)
#7 A wee dram with… Jan – Lost Loch Spirits Tourism & Hospitality Manager
/ A wee dram with / By Jay Buckingham
A wee dram with…
If you’ve visited Lost Loch Distillery over the last year, or have been on one of our experiences – Lost Loch Live, Lost Loch Spirit School or a Tour & Tasting – you would have met Jan, Lost Loch Spirits Tourism & Hospitality Manager.
Its almost been a year since Jan started here at so we thought we’d have a wee dram with her to find out what it’s like to swap weddings for gin.
At the beginning of 2020 I had a varied portfolio of contracts, including journalism, PR, hotel awards judging, community greengrocer, and events, predominantly big, boozy, ceilidh-frenzied weddings – remember them? I’ve always enjoyed variety and change and haven’t looked back since becoming my own boss in 2012, thriving on the freedom to accept anything interesting and different that came along.
And then something completely unexpected came along, a pandemic. Almost everything I had in my diary was cancelled or postponed…and then cancelled anyway. Like most people I was a bit stunned by the enormity of it all, and the shrinking of my previously unlimited world. After four months though, I realised this wasn’t something that was temporary or easily fixed, so started applying for jobs. Which wasn’t as easy as I thought, and it’s interesting how quickly your confidence starts draining away after a few rejections.
Lost Loch Spirits Tourism & Hospitality Manager
Which brings us to Lost Loch, one day I just saw this guy on a Facebook post, walking around inside a distillery saying come and chat to us if you think you’ve got what we’re looking for. I’d heard of Lost Loch, but only vaguely, and they were looking for two people, a Tourism & Hospitality Manger to run the tourism side of the business and one for a distillery assistant, helping with bottling, labelling etc. In November 2020 I first met Pete Dignan and Rich Pierce, the co-owners of Lost Loch Distillery – two guys passionate about all things distilling who had started the business in 2017 on site at the Deeside Activity Park near Aboyne.
Lost Loch Spirit School and Lost Loch Tours & Tastings
Since the day they asked me to join them, I’ve learned all about the beginnings and inspiration behind the local enterprise, which I convey to visitors through our tours and tastings, and the basics of distilling (I cannot actually believe I’m doing a job which involves science and maths) which I use when hosting our Spirits Schools, an experience where you spend a day creating your own gin, vodka, rum or absinthe. Yes absinthe, one of our claims to fame is that the distillery created Scotland’s first absinthe in 2017 – it’s called Murmichan, which is an old Scots word for a wicked fairy.
I also help with bottling, research and development, and recently started to develop a botanical identification walk as an add-on to the tours, which we will offer properly from May next year.
Contract Distilling & Lost Loch Live
It’s been a steep learning curve, but I enjoy every minute of my new role. I get to meet new people all the time, and I’m constantly learning more about distilling and what makes the distillery tick. Helping with bottling and finishing our products and the many spirits we help create and bottle for others gives me a great sense of job satisfaction too. We’ve also started to plan and deliver a series of live events in the distillery, called Lost Loch Live, which is exciting.
#5 A wee dram with… James, G.H.Q. Spirits
/ A wee dram with / By Jay Buckingham
James McNeill, Owner of G.H.Q. Spirits, chats with Lost Loch Spirits about The Prosper Cocktail, Carl Sagan and how we ended up working together
If you’re into vodka and gin, and its likely you are, then its also likely you would have seen these double agents from G.H.Q. Spirits making waves (or secretive nods).
We caught up with James for a wee dram to see if we could extract any secrets…
Where does the name G.H.Q. Spirits come from?
Coded twist on G.C.H.Q. – Gin Headquarters for those in the know!
We love the brand’s top-agent secretiveness. Do you have a favourite secret agent?
Alicia Huberman – Notorious – Alfred Hitchcock
The G.H.Q Prosper Cocktail sounds tasty. Can you tell us about its inspiration?
INGREDIENTS
• 35ml G.H.Q. Gin
• 15ml G.H.Q. Vodka
• 20ml Lillet Blanc
• 4 dashes orange bitters
• Top with Soda
Roll over ice and serve on the rocks in a highball glass. Garnish with some of those amazing flowers from your garden.
Andree Borrel was a secret agent fighting for the allies during WW2. Code name: Prosper. She was deadly as she was cunning. Proof of this fact comes when she was asked how she would dispatch a nazi, she replied calmly “I’d thrust a pencil through his eye, and he’d deserve it”. Cocktail Mixologists Nathaniel and Breagha from Draffens in Dundee created this masterpiece.
If you could share a vodka tipple with anyone in the world (alive or dead) who would it be with?
Carl Sagan, especially with the social media frenzy of conspiracy theories – His book “The Demon-haunted World” is very sobering, so you would need a stiff vodka to chew the fat over it with Carl.
Come on then… shaken or stirred?
Stirred – too much energy in shaken and I like the flavours to languor over my taste buds before that rush of warmth flows through my body.
How did you get into doing what you do?
Blimey, my background is Architecture but I deviated away from that 20 years ago and moved into property and retail and then 16 years ago I went into the nightclub industry as a trouble shooter. I then developed Pulse a 30k square foot events space on the Southbank of London in 2010 and we operated that until 2019, unfortunately the site had been purchased by high end residential development company to build over 600 luxury apartments and two hotels.
I was on the verge of signing a deal for a new space in the city and was calling it G.H.Q. a new Gin Head Quarters in the city when the pandemic broke out. I had attended a couple of gin distilling courses and was in talks with a couple of distillers about creating a white label for me back in 2019. So I flipped the business plan on its head and went full steam with G.H.Q. Spirits once I had all my trademarks signed off.
How did you hear about Lost Loch?
My sister moved to Strathdon 5 years ago to set up a Sweet Donside luxury cabins. The Cairngorms are magical and quintessentially all that we hold dear to us of Scotland, marry that with some of the purest water in the world narrowed down my search to a specific area. Lost Loch already had a good reputation for producing their own award-winning spirits. So they ticked all the boxes for me. Also – with the owners background in engineering their attention to detail was exact.
Can you tell us a bit about how you worked together?
Well – it was interesting during lockdowns. I told Peter I was after a classic London dry Gin with a twist, and that’s exactly what he has produced.
We did a run of 12 blends and once they had rested I did virtual tasting sessions with a number of friends who are all big gin drinkers.
That was a laugh in itself as I sat and watched them slowly become inebriated, I soon discovered that we had to do the taste and spit or there was no way I was going to get a comprehensive judgment from them.
Same applied for the Vodka, although this was new territory for me as I’m not a Vodka drinker. Luckily I’ve got a lot of friends who love their vodka!! And I have to say Peter has created an outstanding Vodka blend based on an old Russian recipe.
The whole process of working with Rich and Peter has been very smooth and easy. Transparency in what they do and how the market works is the key to their operation. You know exactly what you are going into, what is required and they helped me every step of the way. There’s a lot of pitfalls and landmines in going into this business if you don’t know where to look. I have been very fortunate teaming up with Lost Loch!
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