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September 6, 2018

Calling all Scottish gin fans!

This weekend, we were going to suggest that you might care to visit the Gin Fayre taking place in Ayr on Friday and Saturday.

However, last time we looked, all three sessions had sold out. Checking back for returns may mean you get lucky.

Happily, should you not manage to secure tickets, there are plenty of other Scottish gin-related activities to enjoy around these parts.

Scottish gin school on Skye

A little over a week ago, Isle of Skye Distillers announced the launch of its brand-new gin school.

The Portree-based distillery, producers of Misty Isle Gin and Tommy’s Gin, opened its doors to visitors on Monday 27 August.

The gin school features six mini stills. These accommodate groups of up to twelve gin enthusiasts keen to learn the art of craft gin distillation first-hand.

Led by brothers Alistair and Thomas Wilson, each class lasts three hours.

Gin school students will assemble and run their personal still, before progressing to learn the science behind gin distillation and the subtle flavour variations created by different combinations of botanicals.

Students will work with Thomas and Alistair to create a bespoke gin recipe according to their personal tastes. Finally, guests will bottle their gin and print a customised label.

Sessions at Isle of Skye Distillers’ Gin School are priced at £85 per still. Each still can be operated by up to two people. The Gin School experience includes all tuition, along with a 50cl bottle of personalised gin per person.

Scottish gin school in Fife

If Skye is too far away, Darnley’s Gin in Fife has added a Distil Your Own experience to its tour offering.

Visitors to Darnley’s Gin School can create their own recipe from a selection of botanicals and distil a 70cl bottle of gin to take home.

Their Scottish gin school houses six mini copper stills which visitors can use to distil their own bespoke bottle of gin.

Guests can enjoy a welcome drink and introduction to gin making before exploring the large range of botanicals available to include in their recipe. Some of them are grown in Darnley’s own cottage garden.

The hands-on experience continues as they begin distilling their one-of-a-kind gin in their own mini still.

While this is happening, guests will enjoy a tour of Darnley’s main distillery while sipping on a refreshing Darnley’s G&T and being led through a tasting of the Darnley’s Gin range.

At the end of the experience, visitors will fill and label their bottle of gin to take home and enjoy.

The experience is available on Fridays at 3pm and on Saturdays at 11am. It lasts approximately 2.5 hours and tickets are £100.

Scottish gin school in Glasgow

Get your still on at Crossbill in BAaD.

Get your still on at Crossbill in BAaD.


And if Fife seems a step too far, then Crossbill Gin recently located from the Highlands to a purpose built facility at Barras Art and Design in Glasgow’s Calton area.

And guess what? They have a gin school!

Under the watchful eye of Crossbill Gin’s award winning distiller and founder, guest will test and select your botanicals, create a botanical basket, then distil their very own gin in a miniature copper pot still.

Finally your bottle will be labelled with your bespoke design.

Vouchers start at £90 for two people.

Voucher price includes:

3 hour Gin master class including complimentary tutored tasting

Instruction and talk from Crossbill founder Jonathan Engels