Scottish gins with Bog Myrtle
Sweet gale (bog myrtle) is one of Scotland's signature foraged botanicals — resinous, herbal, slightly menthol. Grows in West Coast peat bogs and Hebridean machair.
6 gins · sorted by TasteSCOT rating
The Botanist
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.
Caorunn
Made at Balmenach whisky distillery on Speyside, Caorunn (pronounced "ka-roon") uses five Celtic botanicals on top of the classic six. Vapour-infused in a unique copper berry chamber, with a clear apple note that sets it apart.
Lussa Gin
Made on the Isle of Jura by three friends who forage their botanicals from the island's coasts, gardens, and moorland. Lussa is as hands-on as Scottish gin gets — the team picks wild botanicals by hand and distils in small batches using a bespoke copper still. The connection to Jura is genuine and visible in the finished product. Available on the island, at selected Scottish retailers, and by mail order. One of the most authentic 'island' gins in Scotland.
Orkney Gin
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.
Avva Scottish Gin
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.
Eilean Mòr Gin
From Beinn an Tuirc Distillers on the Kintyre peninsula — the first gin distillery in Kintyre and powered entirely by renewable energy from their own hydroelectric and solar installations. The distillery's sustainability credentials are genuine: carbon-negative production, local botanical foraging, and a commitment to minimal waste. The gin itself is gentle and floral — a good representation of the Kintyre landscape. Available from the distillery, Campbeltown shops (combine with a Springbank visit), and online.