In Scotland we have never needed an excuse to celebrate or start a party. Every occasion is the perfect time to raise a glass or three. From Christenings to weddings to funerals we know how to have a good time. Hogmanay and Burns Night have a dedicated following, but what about St Andrew’s Day?
I feel that 30th of November does not get the celebration it deserves. So I’m suggesting it’s time we take the reigns and start celebrating Scotland. From the freshest of food to our amazing libations, we have an embarrassment of riches.
To celebrate, may I suggest three relatively new distillers located just a few miles from the seaside town of St Andrews (see what I did there).
To the north, you have Eden Mill. Opening in 2014 this distillery and brewery do it all…making whisky, gin and beer. They produce such a small amount of whisky that the current release is already sold out, but luckily you can still get hold of the gin and beer while waiting for the next release. The Eden Mill Original Gin (£29.95, Royal Mile Whiskies) is a classically styled gin. It has the perfect balance between lemon and lime citrus notes. They also use seabuckthorn berries in the recipe so this is a guilt free, super fruit, beverage.
To the south, you have Kingsbarn Distillery which was also established in 2014. The Wemyss family have transformed a historic semi-derelict farm steading into a modern distillery producing an amazing whisky. The Kingsbarn Dream to Dram single malt (£34.99, Inverarity One to One) is youthful and full of fresh fruit delights. In the glass you’ll find pineapple notes with caramel, stone fruits and milk chocolate.
And to the west you have Daftmill. Established in 2005, this is a true farm distillery. All the barley is grown on site, all the water is from the local burn and they only produce whisky for four months of the year. To try this whisky you will have to search it down at your local specialist whisky bar but it is worth the effort. It’s a sweeter style and a lifted malt depending on the release.
Also worth noting that people called Andrew are always intelligent, dashing and very modest.
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