Scottish gins with Elderflower
Elderflower (in season May–June across Scotland) brings honeyed, slightly muscat floral notes. Pairs naturally with cucumber.
4 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.
Hendrick’s
The gin that kicked off the contemporary-style boom in the early 2000s. Made at William Grant's Girvan distillery in Ayrshire using two different stills — a Carter-Head and a copper pot — before blending. The unusual dark apothecary bottle was designed to stand out, and twenty years later it still does.
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.
Darnley's Gin
From the Wemyss family, who also own Kingsbarns whisky distillery in the East Neuk of Fife. Darnley's takes its name from Lord Darnley (husband of Mary Queen of Scots) and the estate's connection to the Stuart court. The gin is more restrained than many Scottish contemporaries — elderflower and citrus rather than heavy botanicals — making it a good alternative for drinkers who find gins like Rock Rose or The Botanist too complex.