The Botanist

The Botanist may well be Scotland's finest gin. Its intensely complicated mash bill is a gathering of botanicals from one side of the country to the other, including hawthorn, white clover, red clover, birch leaf, sweet chamomile peel, oris root, wild Islay juniper, elderflower, apple, mint, sage leaf, wood, bog, myrtle, sweet cicely, creeping thistle, peppermint leaf, heather flowers, mugwort leaves, thyme leaf and gorse flower. In all, there are nine of the traditional botanicals and 22 botanicals unique to Scotland. This is a hugely floral gin with the addition of apple, menthol, honey, coconut and a touch of peat bog. The intensity is reminiscent of its sister Islay whiskies. The flavors explode on the palate and the finish is huge, but settles down with a lovely citrus, licorice, menthol and earthy warmth. It's a triumph for gin while remaining uniquely Scottish. Lady’s bedstraw, angelica root, cassia bark, cinnamon bark, coriander seed, juniper berries, lemon peel, licorice root and orange.