Kinrara Gin
Last updated 16 May 2026
Produced on the Kinrara estate in the Cairngorms National Park. What makes Kinrara distinctive is the use of wild Cairngorms juniper — a different, more intense variety than the imported juniper most Scottish distillers use. The estate setting means the botanicals genuinely come from the surrounding hills and woodland, not from a supplier catalogue. Small production runs and a strong visitor following among Cairngorms tourists. Available at the distillery, Highland specialist shops, and online.
Kinrara is one of the more genuinely place-led Scottish gins — the Cairngorms estate sources the heather, pine, and rowan from its own land. The result is a gin that genuinely tastes like the Highlands rather than just being marketed that way. £36-38 buys you a properly distinctive Scottish gin with strong gift potential thanks to the Cairngorms branding.
Tasting notes
Properly Highland — the Cairngorms juniper is more resinous and intense than lowland varieties, and the heather and wild thyme add a moorland character. Tastes like a walk through the Cairngorms smells.
- Nose
- Heather, pine, fresh juniper, faint sweet rowan
- Palate
- Big juniper, herbal pine, soft heather and rowan sweetness
- Finish
- Long, herbal, gently sweet
Flavour profile
- juniper4/5
- citrus2/5
- floral3/5
- herbal4/5
- spice1/5
- sweet2/5
Botanicals
Cairngorms-foraged heather, pine and rowan over a classic juniper backbone — the Highland landscape in a glass
How it’s made
- Production
- Distilled at the Kinrara Estate in the Cairngorms with botanicals foraged from the estate itself. Small-batch single-still production with a strong locality story.
- Still type
- Small copper pot still
- Base spirit
- Neutral grain spirit
Perfect serve
Walter Gregor's tonic, heather sprig, copa.
- Tonic
- Indian tonic or Walter Gregor’s tonic
- Garnish
- Sprig of heather or a rowan berry (in season)
- Ratio
- 1:3
- Ice
- Big cubes.
Walter Gregor's tonic (the Caithness craft tonic) doubles down on the wild Highland character. Heather garnish is on-brand and lasts in the glass.
Cocktails to make with Kinrara Gin
Cairngorm Highball
Highball
- 50ml Kinrara
- 15ml elderflower cordial
- Soda water
- Heather sprig
Build over ice in a tall glass. Top with soda. Garnish with heather.
Food pairings
Highland gin with Highland food. The herbal character pairs with rustic and game-led dishes.
- Highland venison
- Smoked trout
- Game pie
- Cranachan
Where to buy
Frequently asked questions
+Where is Kinrara Gin made?
At the Kinrara Estate in the Cairngorms — a small-batch operation using estate-foraged botanicals.
+What does Kinrara taste like?
Heather, pine, and rowan over a confident juniper backbone. Properly Highland — comparable to Rock Rose or Avva but with a distinctive Cairngorms character.
+Where can I buy Kinrara?
Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange, and the brand website. Not generally in supermarkets.
+Can you visit Kinrara's distillery?
No public distillery tours. The Kinrara Estate runs occasional event days — check their website.
Compare with similar gins
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.
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.
Plan your distillery visit
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