Beinn an Tuirc Distillery Launches Kintrye Gin
2017 brings the good news that drinking gin can now also be green. This spring, lovers of the botanical beverage will be able to enjoy Scotland’s first and only ethically sourced and sustainably manufactured gin, Kintyre Gin.
Beinn an Tuirc distillery, located next to Kintyre’s highest peak of the same name, on Torrisdale Castle Estate in Kintyre, is home to a 99kw hydro-electric scheme which powers the 230 litre copper still, giving Kintyre Gin its unique eco credentials.
The family run distillery also has its own supply of spring water, a vital ingredient in gin distillation, gravity fed to the still from a Victorian spring originating on Beinn an Tuirc itself.
Niall Macalister Hall, Beinn an Tuirc, director said: “We are fully committed to creating a gin we are proud of but also reduces our impact on the environment. For every case of Kintyre Gin sold we pledge to plant a tree in our dedicated woodland. When the Beinn an Tuirc visitor centre opens later this year, offering tours and a tasting room experience, customers will also be able to plant a tree, leaving a long-lasting legacy on the estate.”
Equally important as sustainability is taste and quality, overseen by head distiller, Su Black, a graduate of Heriot Watt’s Brewing and Distilling Master’s course. A whisky and craft beer enthusiast, Su brings botanical know-how to the family business as well was a wealth of experience in other areas, having worked in the oil and gas industry for over a decade.
Su said: “We’re creating a truly hand crafted product using 12, sustainably sourced botanicals in our core expression, Kintyre Gin. To achieve the characteristics of a very flavoursome and well-balanced spirit, the gin consists of 10 commonly used botanicals, with the addition of two which are totally exclusive to Beinn an Tuirc, Icelandic moss and sheep sorrel. This unique combination produces a gin with earthy and spicy characteristics, deep in flavour, with a very pleasant floral aroma.”
Su is also the driving force behind the next batch of distillations from Beinn an Tuirc. Using produce from the estate’s walled garden and from foraged wild botanicals, an expansion of the core Kintyre Gin expression is expected in the future.
A socially responsible business, Beinn an Tuirc has pledged to use a percentage of profits for community projects and local business start-ups while encouraging innovation.
Torrisdale Castle Estate has been in the Macalister Hall family since 1872. The distillery is housed in the estate’s former piggery which has also served as the inspiration for the brand’s identity; each bottle will be adorned with the image of a wild boar. Beinn an Tuirc also means Hill of the Wild Boar.
The first bottles will be available via Beinn an Tuirc’s online shop from Spring 2017 priced at around £35.00.
For more information about Kintrye Gin log onto www.kintyregin.com