Arbikie Kirsty's Gin
Last updated 16 May 2026
Arbikie is a true field-to-bottle distillery — the Stirling family grow their own potatoes, wheat, and barley on the Angus coast. Kirsty’s Gin uses kelp and coastal botanicals from the cliffs above the distillery to make a distinctly maritime contemporary.
Arbikie does the field-to-bottle thing properly — the wheat, the potatoes, even the kelp comes from the estate. Kirsty’s Gin is a more confident coastal style than Isle of Harris, drier and more savoury, with a real sense of place. £32+ is a stretch for daily drinking but the quality justifies the price for a special occasion.
Tasting notes
Distinctly maritime — drier and saltier than Hendrick’s, with a clear umami note from the kelp. The blaeberry adds a soft fruit lift in the mid-palate, and the carline thistle gives it a herbal finish that lingers. A more confident coastal profile than Isle of Harris.
- Nose
- Juniper, fresh herbs, faint sea breeze
- Palate
- Dry juniper, kelp savouriness, gentle berry sweetness, herbal finish
- Finish
- Long, dry, umami-tinged — properly coastal
Flavour profile
- juniper3/5
- citrus2/5
- floral2/5
- herbal4/5
- spice2/5
- sweet2/5
Botanicals
Built around three signature Scottish coastal botanicals — kelp from the seafront, carline thistle from the cliffs, and wild blaeberry from the estate
How it’s made
- Production
- Distilled at Arbikie on the Angus coast, where the Stirling family also grow the wheat for their own base spirit. A true field-to-bottle distillery — one of very few in the world.
- Still type
- Small copper pot still
- Base spirit
- Estate-grown wheat spirit
Perfect serve
Walter Gregor’s tonic, pink grapefruit, copa.
- Garnish
- A slice of pink grapefruit
- Ratio
- 1:3
- Ice
- Big cubes — the gin can take a serious chill.
A drier tonic lets the kelp and blaeberry come through. Pink grapefruit suits the maritime style better than lemon.
Cocktails to make with Arbikie Kirsty's Gin
Arbikie Sea Martini
Coupe
- 60ml Kirsty’s Gin
- 10ml dry vermouth
- Salted lemon peel
Stir gin and vermouth with ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe. Express lemon oil over the surface and drop the peel in.
Food pairings
A natural fit for any plate of Scottish seafood — the kelp note doubles down on the brine.
- Fresh oysters
- Hand-dived scallops
- Smoked mackerel
- Roast cod with samphire
Where to buy
Supermarket availability
| Supermarket | Stocked | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| waitrose | Yes | £40 |
Visit the distillery
Arbikie tours include the working farm as well as the distillery — see the wheat fields and the potato store, then the still room. One of the most genuinely interesting tours in the country.
From £25
Book a tourFrequently asked questions
+What does field-to-bottle mean for Arbikie?
The Stirling family grow the wheat for the base spirit and the potatoes for their vodka on their own farm — and the kelp and other botanicals come from the estate’s coastline. Almost no other gin distillery does this much in-house.
+What does Kirsty's Gin taste like?
Distinctly maritime — drier and saltier than Hendrick’s, with a clear umami note from the kelp. Blaeberry softens the mid-palate; carline thistle gives a long herbal finish.
+Where can I buy Arbikie gin?
Direct from arbikie.com, Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange, and Waitrose. Limited availability in other supermarkets.
+Can you visit Arbikie distillery?
Yes — Arbikie runs farm-and-distillery tours from £25. Worth the drive to the Angus coast for one of Scotland’s most genuinely instructive tours.
Compare with similar gins
The Botanist
contemporary · islay
Made at the Bruichladdich whisky distillery on Islay, distilled with 22 hand-foraged Islay botanicals on top of nine classics. Run through the same 'Ugly Betty' Lomond still that's now spent more time making gin than the whisky it was originally built for.
Isle of Harris Gin
contemporary · islands
The bottle that launched a thousand Instagram posts. Isle of Harris Gin uses sugar kelp hand-harvested from sea lochs around Harris as its signature botanical. The community-owned distillery in Tarbert has done more for the island’s economy than any other single business.
Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin
contemporary · islands
Orkney's first dedicated gin distillery, on the harbour in Kirkwall. Kirkjuvagr (the Old Norse name for Kirkwall, pronounced 'kirk-you-vaar') uses Scapa Flow seaweed as a signature botanical alongside Orcadian angelica and burnet rose.
Where to stay near Arbikie Highland Estate
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Arbikie Kirsty's Gin's distillery.
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Plan your distillery visit
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