Bruichladdich Distillery Isle of Islay Argyll Scotland PA49 7UN
The Botanist Gin Excellent Gin of Islay
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOOK FURTHER?
TASTE
When we set out to capture the essence of Islay, we looked at things in a new light. How could we create a gin of beautiful balance and satin smoothness, the very first of its kind from Islay? Something that evoked the feeling of being there, like the sweet scent of the gorse bloom in the air on the first days of spring. The earthy aromas of a woodland walk after the rain. The herbaceous fragrance as the wind blows across an open moor. A gin that would honour our island’s reputation for creating the highest quality spirits, revered the world over…
PROVENANCE
We saw past the sea of green that graced the landscape, carefully selecting 22 aromatic botanicals from our playground, 240 square miles of Hebridean paradise. We chose plants that were abundant and could be foraged sustainably and by hand. We had in our possession an abandoned old Lomond still, that was destined for the scrapheap, before we intervened. With a bit of imagination and a few masterful modifications, Ugly Betty, as our still came to be known, was ready. We called upon the centuries old expertise of our distillers, asking them to look beyond the conventions of whisky to help us realise our vision.
PURPOSE
We asked ourselves what could happen if equal value was placed on people, planet, and profit, if business was used as a force for good? Through challenging ourselves to do things differently, we achieved B Corp certification, exploring ways to create conscientiously and to give back. And at the heart of all of our decisions is our community, our biggest asset, and one we continue to celebrate every single day.
The Botanist Gin Excellent Gin of Islay
The Botanist Gin Excellent Gin of Islay
The Botanist 70cl
This classic bottle is a must-have for any home bar: the essential dry gin for all of your favourite cocktails such as The Botanist and Tonic and a Dry Martini.
Size: 70cl (46% ALC./VOL.)
THE BOTANIST CASK RESTED GIN – The Botanist Gin
The Botanist Cask Rested Gin embodies Bruichladdich Distillery’s Whisky-making heritage and botanical expertise. Our Islay dry gin has been matured for a minimum of six months in a selection of fine casks.
The fragrant notes of 22 hand-foraged botanicals combined with wood spices create a vibrant and complex cuvée that redefines what gin can be.
Size: 70cl (46% ALC./VOL.)
THE BOTANIST CASK AGED GIN – The Botanist Gin
The Botanist Cask Aged Gin showcases Bruichladdich distillery’s Botanical expertise and whisky-making heritage. Our Islay dry gin has been matured in fine casks for a minimum of three years, resulting in a rich copper cuvée.
Notes of dried fruit and toasted oats, rendered by time in wood, marry with fragrant botanicals. The result is a gin that defies convention.
Size: 70cl (46% ALC./VOL.)
HEBRIDEAN STRENGTH – The Botanist Gin
BOLD, RICH AND DEEP
TASTE NOTES – The Botanist Gin
The Botanist Hebridean Strength introduces a new voyage of discovery into the wild, elemental beauty of Islay, our Hebridean home. Progressively distilled and batch produced at Bruichladdich Distillery, this new distiller’s blend explores the bolder side of The Botanist. The result is rich, viscous and complex – a deeper expression of our Islay essence.
This new edition is available exclusively in travel retail in the following airports: Frankfurt Airport, Hamburg Airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Munich International Airport, Copenhagen Airport, Vienna International Airport, Sydney Airport and Istanbul Airport.
BODY
Incredible viscosity and rich mouthfeel, with a sumptuous smoothness on the palate.
NOSE
Opens on sweet juniper and spices, cassia and coriander before the herbal influence of the 22 boldly rise to the fore with mint, sweet gale and wild thyme. Notes of cinnamon, coriander and juniper provide a base for the aromatic Islay botanicals to reveal their astonishing depth and clarity, the signature character of The Botanist.
Allow a moment of sweet juniper and spices etc. before the herbal influence of the 22 boldly rise to the fore’.
TASTE
A luxurious texture allows the rich botanical flavours to glide across the palate in a rush of fragrant juniper and botanical intensity. Each sip reveals new combinations of flavour, allowing a wonderful depth and complexity to be uncovered. The herbal notes of the 22 complement the base of earthy, spicy juniper-led tones. The distinctive balance of the Botanist is beautifully highlighted by the high strength and viscous texture of this edition.
FINISH
The finish is wonderfully long and powerful with a rich texture settling on the palate. The weight of flavour begins to change, with gentle floral notes beginning to surface – soft juniper, citrus, water mint, wood sage and clover. The essence of wild Islay botanicals linger on, leaving a lasting impression of the Hebrides.
OUR DISTILLERY
The Botanist is made at Bruichladdich Distillery on the banks of Loch Indaal on the Isle of Islay. The distillery has been an integral part of the community at Bruichladdich since it was built in 1881. Bruichladdich, which is home to three single malts along with The Botanist, is located on the Rhinns of Islay on the West of the island.
THE ISLAND
Islay is known as the ‘Queen of the Hebrides’ because of its fertile land. It is both greener and flatter than many of the other Hebridean islands. It still boasts some high moorland and hills, the highest being Beinn Bheigeir (Ben Vicar) at 491m.
Islay’s diverse landscape is due to its underlying geological structure. The lower-lying fertile land is underlain by limestone and mica schists, while hard quartzites form the rugged uplands.
Scroll through to find out the influence that ‘place’ has on The Botanist.
THE ISLAY LANDSCAPE
Islay’s varied geology supports a range of natural environments, from heather moorland, peat bogs, wetlands and salt marsh to deciduous and coniferous woodlands, rich grassland and scrub forest.
The climate is relatively mild with Islay being warmed by the waters of the gulf stream.
This unique and varied landscape and climate contribute to the abundance of botanicals that grow on Islay. Their flavours and scents are the inspiration behind The Botanist.
The Botanist Gin is a progressive exploration of the botanical heritage of our Island. Distilled using 22 hand-foraged Islay botanicals, The Botanist is a gin of layered complexity.
Built by brothers William, John and Robert Harvey in 1881, Bruichladdich Distillery has built its maverick reputation on traditional Victorian distillation methods and a progressive, convention-challenging attitude. In 2000, a private consortium purchased the then semi-derelict distillery: Mark Reynier and Simon Coughlin were fine wine merchants from London fascinated by the concept of terroir: a sense of place. Along with renowned distiller Jim McEwan, this group of visionaries saw Bruichladdich as a remarkable opportunity to make spirits the traditional way, employing real people with real skills. As the innovative and convention challenging distillery soon became branded as The Progressive Hebridean Distillers, they would push the envelope beyond whisky to create The Botanist Gin.
The Botanist Gin is a botanical exploration of our Hebridean home on Islay. Made using 22 hand-foraged wild Islay botanicals which augment 9 core berries, barks and seeds, The Botanist is a gin of layered complexity. Do watch our videos.
Join the team at Bruichladdich Distillery on one of our tours and discover the story of how a reclaimed whisky still was altered to create Islay’s first Dry Gin. Learn about the distillation process and how each of the botanicals contribute to the smooth and versatile flavour of The Botanist. The Botanist Cocktail Experience is a foraged cocktail making class where you can learn about local, seasonal flavours and how to prepare simple syrups for impactful drinks.
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