Orkney Gin
Last updated 16 May 2026
Made on Orkney using the ancient bere barley variety that's been grown on the islands for over 4,000 years. The gin reflects its geography — maritime, wind-swept, and unlike anything from the mainland. Small production runs and limited distribution outside the islands, but available from specialist retailers and direct from the distillery. Worth picking up if you're visiting Orkney.
Highland Liquor's Orkney Gin is one of the most properly remote Scottish gins — distilled in John O'Groats with Orkney-foraged botanicals. The herbal complexity is the reason to buy; the location story is the reason to gift. Less hyped than Kirkjuvagr or The Botanist but worth knowing for serious gin drinkers.
Tasting notes
Maritime and herbaceous with a distinctive heather sweetness. The bere barley (an ancient grain still grown on Orkney) adds a subtle earthy note you won't find in other gins.
- Nose
- Bog myrtle, fresh juniper, citrus peel, faint floral
- Palate
- Herbal, balanced, with a soft Orkney coastal note
- Finish
- Medium, herbal, gently dry
Flavour profile
- juniper3/5
- citrus3/5
- floral3/5
- herbal4/5
- spice1/5
- sweet2/5
Botanicals
Orkney-foraged bog myrtle, rose root, and burnet over classic London Dry botanicals — a properly northern Scottish gin
How it’s made
- Production
- Highland Liquor Co. distil their gins at the John O'Groats site — Britain's northernmost distillery. Botanicals are foraged from Orkney and Caithness.
- Still type
- Small copper pot still
- Base spirit
- Neutral grain spirit
Perfect serve
Walter Gregor's tonic, thyme sprig, copa.
- Tonic
- Walter Gregor's tonic or Mediterranean tonic
- Garnish
- Sprig of bog myrtle or fresh thyme
- Ratio
- 1:3
- Ice
- Big cubes.
Walter Gregor's (the Caithness craft tonic) is the right local choice — it lifts the herbal Orkney-foraged botanicals.
Cocktails to make with Orkney Gin
Northern Lights Martini
Coupe
- 60ml Orkney Gin
- 5ml dry vermouth
- Lemon peel
Stir gin and vermouth with ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe. Express lemon oils over the surface.
Food pairings
Northern gin pairs with northern food — Orkney shellfish, smoked fish, game.
- Smoked Orkney salmon
- Game
- Sharp cheese
- Roast lamb
Where to buy
Frequently asked questions
+Where is Highland Liquor Co. based?
John O'Groats — Britain's northernmost distillery.
+What does Orkney Gin taste like?
Herbal, balanced, with bog myrtle and rose root over a medium juniper backbone. A grown-up northern Scottish gin.
+Is it the same as Kirkjuvagr?
No. Kirkjuvagr is made by Orkney Distilling on Orkney itself. Highland Liquor Co. is in John O'Groats. Both use Orkney-foraged botanicals — different distilleries, different recipes.
+Where can I buy it?
Brand website, Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange. Not generally in supermarkets.
Compare with similar gins
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.
Rock Rose
contemporary · highland
Distilled at Dunnet Bay in Caithness, just down the road from John o'Groats. Rock Rose uses local botanicals including rhodiola rosea — the wildflower that gives the gin its name and a distinctive earthy character.
Avva Scottish Gin
contemporary · highland
A small-batch Aberdeenshire gin that uses silver birch sap from the local woodland as one of its key botanicals. The birch gives a subtle, slightly sweet woody character that's different from the maritime or heather notes you find in most Scottish gins. Produced by a husband-and-wife team, which keeps the batches small and the quality consistent. Available from specialist retailers in the north-east and online.
Plan your distillery visit
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