Distilling

Distilling: Enjoy the spirit of Scotland

Mention Scotland anywhere in the world, and one spirit will almost certainly be on everybody’s lips: whisky. However, did you know that a great many other distilled drinks are just as authentically Scottish?

Hand-in-hand with nature

What all Scottish distilling has in common is our water. Some of the purest on Earth, it’s both the heart and the soul of all our distilled spirits: from whisky and gin to rum and beyond. Whatever innovations distillers dream up, Scotland’s cold crystalline water will always play an important role in each drink’s unmistakeable flavour.

The use of natural flavourings like heather, thistle and sea kelp have brought fans of distilled spirits plenty of original experiences to savour. Young new entrants have made names for themselves and their distilleries – yet they’ve not shouldered out some traditional favourites. 

Demand for something different

Driving the growth of dark spirits, liqueurs and pre-mixed cocktails is a trend in the UK for blending these with flavours such as lemon, mango, chilli or cinnamon. For both distillers and ready-to-drink producers, this opens up new avenues of possibility for imagination, invention and innovation.

Gin: still booming

By as early as 1720, fresh water drawn from none other than Loch Ness was being used to create a unique branded gin that’s still popular today. No wonder Scottish gin makes up 70% of the UK’s gin production. In 2019, 132 new Scottish gins entered the market. Another 25 entirely new brands of gin arrived, and 15 new distilleries were put on the map. Scotland lays claim to three of the world’s top-selling classic gins and 20% of buyers in the UK say they’d be willing to pay more for those infused with unique ingredients, or which have a long brand heritage. The Isle of Barra Distillery is one of Scotland’s distilleries that uses products local to their area, infusing their gin with the carrageen seaweed found on the shores of Barra. Michael says “Having something on your doorstep and making the most of it, that’s what Barra is about. We’re trying to send a piece of Barra across the world.”

Quality Assurance

As well as being watched over by all the biggest trade bodies, the industry is signed up to a slew of environmental and sustainability goals. Which is a substantial consideration when you realise that producing some of the world's most beloved beverages involves agriculture, transport, packaging and water use (to name but a few).

The path to net-zero

Supported by R&D institutions like the James Hutton Institute, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Scotland’s top universities, the Rowett Institute, and the International Barley Hub and Institute of Brewing and Distilling, spirits producers are looking at the distilling sector’s environmental impact and how best to effect meaningful change. Together, these bodies provide invaluable inputs right along the supply chain – especially as the industry moves closer to net zero. Now that’s something to celebrate!