Firkin Gin & Walter Gregor – the first Scottish tonic water
As the 5pm Dining blog has noted, several times, new gin brands are popping up all over Scotland.
These are happy days for gin lovers. However, as the number of new gin brands expands, it becomes harder for each one to stand out in an increasingly busy market place.
Independent Scotch whisky bottler, the Gleann Mor Spirits Company, has hit upon an intriguing USP.
Their new Firkin Gin is matured in American oak whisky casks. The oak gives it a warm, amber colour and delicate hints of whisky.
Juicy American oak
‘Whisky and gin are two of our favourite things, so, naturally, we’ve been eager to experiment with the two,’ said Derek Mair, founder of the Gleann Mor Spirits Company. ‘Our juicy American oak casks produce a truly unique flavour and a beautiful golden hue.’
These are the official tasting notes:
Nose: juniper, crushed spearmint and lemon peel. Lemon barley sweetness develops then flint and elderflower. A lovely balance between sweetness and crisp aromas.
Palate: fudge-like sweetness with clean eucalyptus, then more mint. A clean and salving mouth feel.
Your blogger tried a sample and the official notes are pretty good. We also got caramel and toffee aromas plus, no surprise, oak on the palate.
The 46% ABV gin is released in limited batches of 100 bottles. Apparently, it makes a particularly fine Negroni.
All Scottish G ‘n’ T
If you prefer to have it as a F ‘n’ T, that’s Firkin and tonic, then you might want to pair it with another new Scottish product: Walter Gregor, a new tonic water from Summerhouse Drinks.
Produced in small batches on the family farm, the new tonic is apparently the first tonic water to be made in Scotland.
The new drink is named after a Victorian Minister who served the historic Parish of Pitsligo, where Summerhouse Drinks is based.
The garden of the Manse, where Walter Gregor lived and worked, is being brought back to life by Summerhouse Drinks with the aim of growing key botanicals for their new tonic water.
Commenting on the product, Claire Rennie, Managing Director of Summerhouse Drinks said: ‘We’re so excited to have launched Scotland’s first ever tonic. There’s a renaissance of gin drinking in Scotland and indeed the rest of the UK and we look forward to offering a Scottish alternative to the tonics already available.’
100% natural
The tonic water will complement Summerhouse Drinks’ existing range, which includes a tangy and traditional Misty Lemonade, a Scottish Raspberry Lemonade and a Lavender Lemonade, a subtle and aromatic flavoured lemonade infused with lavender flowers.
All products are 100% natural with no artificial preservatives, colours or flavours.
Firkin Gin costs £45 for a 70cl bottle and is available from www.gmwhiskyco.com and selected independent spirit merchants.
Summerhouse Drinks Tonic Water will be available from www.summerhousedrinks.com, RRP £1.50 for 200ml.