Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin
Last updated 16 May 2026
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.
A genuinely Orcadian gin without the corporate sheen of the bigger island brands. The Scapa Flow seaweed earns its place — it gives the gin a real coastal umami — and the bere barley is a nice nod to Orkney’s ancient-grain history. Pricing is fair for the level of foraging and the bottle quality. The pick of Orkney gin.
Tasting notes
Drier and more savoury than most island gins, with a clear marine umami from the Scapa Flow seaweed. The burnet rose adds a soft floral lift in the mid-palate, supported by the gentle nuttiness of bere barley. A grown-up coastal gin without the marketing fuss of bigger island brands.
- Nose
- Juniper, fresh sea breeze, faint rose
- Palate
- Dry juniper, marine umami, soft rose mid-palate, nutty bere barley underneath
- Finish
- Long, dry, slightly briny
Flavour profile
- juniper3/5
- citrus3/5
- floral3/5
- herbal3/5
- spice2/5
- sweet2/5
Botanicals
Eleven botanicals featuring foraged Orkney burnet rose, ancient bere barley, and seaweed from Scapa Flow — properly Orcadian
How it’s made
- Production
- Distilled in a small copper still on the harbour in Kirkwall. Botanicals — including the burnet rose — are foraged from Orkney by the distillery team.
- Still type
- Small copper pot still
- Base spirit
- Neutral grain spirit (with bere barley infusion)
Perfect serve
Walter Gregor’s tonic, pink grapefruit and a juniper berry, heavy tumbler.
- Garnish
- A slice of pink grapefruit and a single juniper berry
- Ratio
- 1:3
- Ice
- Big cubes — the gin handles strong chilling.
A drier tonic lets the seaweed and rose come through. Pink grapefruit pairs better with the marine character than a standard lemon.
Cocktails to make with Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin
Scapa Martini
Coupe
- 60ml Kirkjuvagr
- 10ml 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
A natural with North Sea seafood and aged Orkney cheese.
- Orcadian scallops
- Smoked haddock
- Sharp Orkney cheddar
- Cured beef
Where to buy
Supermarket availability
| Supermarket | Stocked | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| waitrose | Yes | £36 |
Visit the distillery
Tours of Orkney Distilling on the Kirkwall harbour cover the foraging story, the gin-making process, and a tutored tasting. Pair it with the Highland Park whisky distillery up the road.
From £18
Book a tourFrequently asked questions
+How do you pronounce Kirkjuvagr?
"Kirk-you-vaar" — the Old Norse name for Kirkwall, Orkney’s historic capital.
+Where is Kirkjuvagr made?
On the harbour in Kirkwall, Orkney, by Orkney Distilling — the first dedicated gin distillery on the islands.
+What does Kirkjuvagr taste like?
Drier and more savoury than most island gins, with a clear marine umami from Scapa Flow seaweed and a soft rose lift from burnet rose. A grown-up, less-marketed alternative to Isle of Harris.
+Can you visit Orkney Distilling?
Yes — tours from £18 from the Kirkwall harbour distillery. Easy to combine with Highland Park whisky distillery on the same trip.
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.
Arbikie Kirsty's Gin
contemporary · highland
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.
Where to stay near Orkney Distilling
Hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering within easy reach of Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin's distillery.
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Plan your distillery visit
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