Scottish gins with Heather
Heather flower delivers a honeyed floral note unmistakably Scottish. Often paired with bog myrtle, sea pinks, or Scots pine in Highland and Island gins.
6 gins · sorted by TasteSCOT rating
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.
Misty Isle Gin
Made on Skye by Isle of Skye Distillers, with honey from the distillery’s own bees as a signature botanical. A young brand that punches above its weight on character — gentler and sweeter than the heavy-juniper Skye whisky next door at Talisker.
Kinrara Gin
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.
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.
Edinburgh Gin
Edinburgh Gin Classic is the workhorse — a soft, juniper-light contemporary gin made in central Edinburgh. The brand's flavoured variants (Seaside, Rhubarb & Ginger, Raspberry) get more shelf space and probably more sales than the Classic, for better and worse.