The team are also on hand to chat about the history of gin making as well as offering a range of incredible gins of their own for you to try and buy. Highlands - Lost Loch Distillery To match the newly released set of gins, four tonic waters have also been created - Tonic 81 - all four having been created using the same water source as the gins, these include Premium, Light, Pink grapefruit and Elderflower. Four gins and four tonics have been released. We’re so proud of the final result and are delighted to share this with gin lovers across the globe.”

Make a date to catch up on missed celebrations and enjoy an idyllic overnight stay at Dalhousie Castle. Birthdays, anniversaries, engagements – whatever the milestone, it’ll be a celebration fit for royalty. In 1881, after three years of construction, Peebles Hydro was built to be a hydropathic hotel due to its very own private spring - Shieldgreen. Affluent city dwellers came far and wide for the hotel’s clean water supply and water-related medical treatments. Many of them wanted to retreat from the city pollution. The waters purity became legendary for ‘alleviating’ a wide range of ailments.Named after the year the construction of Peebles Hydro was finished, the 1881 Distillery and Gin School officially opened in October 2019. Originally a retreat for therapeutic water treatments, the hotel attracted visitors from around the world to come and alleviate themselves of their aches and woes. Built around the Shieldgreen spring, a private spring on the hotel’s estate, the fresh and mineral rich water was said to be ‘legendary’ for its therapeutic properties. Skip to the present day, and such claims of health benefits remain unfounded. Over the hotel’s history, a few things have never changed: the rich mineral spring still flows and is used in the hotel’s gins and tonics, along with its focus on creating a memorable visitor experience for guests. expert judges from the distilling and drinks industry were presented by flights of samples and asked to taste and assess each liquid across a range of quality standards. Today, the draw is rather different: Shieldgreen now supplies the gleaming copper stills of their very own gin and tonic: 1881 Gin and Tonic 81. Scotland has an abundance of some of the best natural botanicals, so they aim to be as local as possible. They grow lots of Scotland’s natural plants and botanicals down in Peebles, including Scotland’s national flower, the Thistle. All of these are in some way used in each of their hand-crafted gins. Aimed at drinkers of all levels, the gin school features an in-depth look (and tasting of) at the distillery's own bottles, as well as the chance to make your own under the guidance of one of the team, with each guest personally selecting botanicals, running their own individual miniature copper pot still, and bottling and labelling the finished product - which they get to take home. Orkney - Orkney Gin School Leave any worries and stresses behind and enjoy a two-night romantic break together in gorgeous Glencoe.

A tour can be taken around the distillery, in which visitors can learn all about the history of Peebles Hydro, all things gin and can get up close to the school's copper still which makes up to 220 bottles of 1881 gin every day. There are four 1881 gins available in two sizes of 70cl and 20cl, including London Dry, Pavilion Pink and Subtly Smoked. The fourth gin, Navy Strength at 57% ABV is stronger than the others at 40%, and is named after the Dutch sailors of the 18th century who were known to drink gin for ‘Dutch courage’ before going into battle. Founded by the Wilson brothers, the gin school was designed to give not only an insight into how this unique spirit is created but also show how the botanicals sourced on the island play a key part in their particular gin's make up. When it comes to accommodation in Scotland, there's a fantastic choice of amazing stays from luxury hotels to glamping getaways.

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So what are you waiting for? Book your mini break with breakfast on both days and dinner on the first night.

The results have revealed a league table of the best-tasting gins and the winners will be announced at the annual Scottish gin industry event taking part in November. Situated South of Edinburgh in Peebles, the Hydropathic hotel or ‘hydro’ is where 1881 Gin Distillery is based. The hotel was built in 1881, hence the name for the distillery. The hotel was set high above the town and offered therapeutic treatments – the source of which was Peeble Hydro’s very own spring – Shieldgreen. Found on the eastern shore of Loch Auchlossan, on the edge of the Cairngorm National Park, the Lost Loch Distillery school experience will give you access to a 5-litre alembic still and a large botanical library to try your hand at creating your own gin. Four 1881 gins have been included in the new range, with London Dry, Pavilion Pink, Subtly Smoked and the Navy Strength available in two sizes - 70cl and 20cl.Discover wonderful wildlife tours to book and experience in Scotland, including bird watching safaris, whale watching, farm tours and much more! The distillery offers a selection of tours and experiences to suit everyone: 1881 Gin Discovery tour Glimpse behind the distillery scenes with our masterclass in all things gin. We offer a range of distillery tours and experiences where you can try your hand at making your own bespoke blend of gin. Find out more here.

Their Gin School is the largest residential gin school in the UK whereyou’ll find 26 individual copper stills neatly lined in rows and glass jars brimming with botanicals. A tour can be taken around the distillery, in which visitors can learn all about the history of Peebles Hydro, all things gin and can get up close to the school’s copper still (Felicity) which makes up to 220 bottles of 1881 gin every day. Budding distillers can also indulge in their own unique gin distiller experience, in which they can enjoy a distilling class, creating and crafting their very own gin. The gins were analysed in a wide-ranging blind tasting session carried out as part of a live event and managed by the international sensory management consultancy Cara Technology. You’ll get to meet Felicity, the still that makes the 1881 gins [photo credit 1881 Distillery] Tasting 1881 gin: To be named a finalist is a massive achievement, especially given the challenges of the last 2 and a half years and shows the true resilience and innovation of our industry.All winners will be announced at an industry event and gourmet, gin-themed dinner on Thursday 10 November 2022 at the Glasgow Doubletree by Hilton Hotel. Full list of 2022 Scottish Gin Awards finalists: TASTE CATEGORIES To bring the best out of these premium gins, four tonic waters have also been created – Tonic 81. All using the same water source, these include Premium, Light, Pink grapefruit and Elderflower.