VisitScotland creates its very first interactive gin map

EDINBURGH, Scotland, 2017-Nov-03 — /Travel PR News/ — With the UK’s love affair with Mother’s Ruin showing no signs of slowing down, VisitScotland is quenching the thirst of gin fans with the creation of its very first interactive gin map.

Taking you on a virtual tour, Scotland’s Gin Map, currently holds details of over 40 producers with more expected to be added in the future. You can explore the spirit by region, find your favourite brands, learn where you can ‘make your own’ gin or embark on a distillery tour.

From Shetland’s most northerly isle to Dumfries, there are new distilleries, exciting events and unique gin-themed experiences popping up the length and breadth of the country.The spirit’s increasing popularity, especially for craft and artisan products, is worth around £1.2bn to the UK economy, with that figure set to soar to £1.5bn by 2020.

Steve Duncan, VisitScotland Marketing Manager, said: “Thanks to a huge surge in craft spirit production, Scotland’s gin credentials are on the rise. While we may be best known for whisky, we also have a long history of producing really good and award-winning gins, which is clearly borne out by the rise in the number of Scottish producers over the last few years. Some of the world’s best-selling gin brands are made in Scotland and the number of producers is rising every year.

“Our new interactive map, which can be updated easily, is designed to support the growing interest in Scotland’s gin, helping visitors plan their gin journey, learn about producers and enjoy tours and tasting experiences.

“With a fifth of visitors visiting whisky distilleries as part of a trip, there is a real potential to grow gin tourism in Scotland and appeal to new audiences.”

Scotland produces 70 per cent of the UK’s gin so if you are looking for some ginuine ginspiration look no further….

The new kids on the block

Beinn An Tuirc Distillers

One of the youngest Scottish craft gin producers, Beinn An Tuirc Distillers produceKintyre Gin. Based on the beautiful Torrisdale Castle Estate, close to the equally beautiful village of Carradale, the gin is also sustainably produced thanks to the use of hydro-electricity and fresh local spring water.

Crafty Distillery

Based in Newton Stewart with an enviable view of the Galloway Hills, this new gin distillery creates tasty spirits using new technology and locally sourced ingredients. Perfection takes time though and over 100 different recipes were tried and tested before creating their gin.This modern and custom-built distillery is now providing tours of their grain-to-glass production process.

Verdant Spirit Company

Fresh from being award Gin of the Year at the 2017 Scottish Gin Awards, the first distillery in Dundee for almost 200 years only opened its doors in April with the launch of its Verdant Dry Gin.It combines a carefully curated blend of botanicals that is inspired by Dundee’s rich trading history, reflecting the routes once sailed by traders to and from the city.

The classics

Edinburgh Gin,

Edinburgh Gin, which boasts two distilleries in the capital, celebrates the city’s historic gin heritage with a chance to explore the atmospheric working distillery. If you are new to the delights of the spirit, try the Gin Discovery Tour, learn about the history of the drink and discover Edinburgh’s distilling past. For those who fancy becoming a gin expert then the Gin Connoisseur Tour ends with a tutored tasting of a selection of gins.

Pickering’s Gin – Summerhall Distillery

In another corner of the city, nestled amongst the galleries, workshops, theatres and studios (there’s even a pub in the middle of it) of Summerhall, you’ll find Pickering’s Gin. This small but perfectly formed distillery is staffed by a friendly and passionate team ready to show you around.If you like your gin coupled with a slice of adventure then try your hand at LockedIn the Distillery with Pickering’s Gin– this unique escape gamechallenges gin fans to solve the clues, save the distillery and most importantly save the gin!

Eden Mill

With a history spanning over 100 years, Eden Mill was the first original single site combined brewery and distillery in Scotland.Its story began at St Andrews in 1810 when the legendary Haig Distillers first laid down whisky at the site. The distillery still honours its links to the Home of Golf by using hickory wood from retired traditional golf clubs to produce its golf gin. Their special gin tours start with a refreshing G&T and continue with a detailed history of the site before ending with a gin tasting session.

The Hendrick’s Gin Distillery Ltd

Best served with a slice of cucumber, Hendricks distinctive infusion of rose and cucumber has earned it universal acclaim. Hailing from the seaside town of Girvan in Ayrshire, the Hendrick’s distillery overlooks the mysterious island of Ailsa Craig. Distilled under the supervision of Master Distiller, Miss Lesley Gracie, Hendrick’s employs two distillation methods to weave local water from the Penwhapple reservoir with alcohol and 11 botanicals sourced from around the world.

A dash of the rest

The Shetland Distillery Company

Holding the title of the most northerly distillery in the British Isles, the Shetland Distillery Company is home to Shetland Reel Gin. The range of island inspired gins produced here are distilled with local apple mint and foraged bladderwrack seaweed and capture the true essence of Shetland.

Darnley’s Gin at Kingsbarns Distillery

Heritage is the key ingredient of the gin-making process at Kingsbarns Distillery. Darnley’s Gin is made in a traditional pot still using the centuries-old London Dry method. They make their gin this way, as it pulls on the heritage and skills of their master distiller and produces a gin with uncompromising quality and flavour. Learn all the secrets by taking one of their gin tours.

Dunnet Bay Distillers Ltd

Located in the spectacular Bay of Dunnet in the far north of Scotland, this distillery is becoming a popular spot for those touring the North Coast 500 route, Scotland’s equivalent to Route 66. Rock Rose gin gets its wonderful flavour from a carefully selected combination of local and traditional botanicals. Each one meticulously chosen for their flavour properties to create the perfect taste.

Lilliard Ginnery

Lilliard Gin is made in and inspired by the heart of the Scottish Borders. It is made with ingredients which can be found just outside the distillery and is intended to reflect the soft rolling hills of this part of the Teviot Valley. As well as weekend tours, you can also enrol in their special Gin School to create your very own gin.

Arbikie Distilling Ltd

For that true farm-to-bottle experience, pay a visit to Lunan Bay in Angus, home of Arbikie Distillery, where the team distils their spirit from scratch, using potatoes and wheat grown on the farm. Named Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Gin Awards 2017, Arbikie produces two gins. Named after the distillery’s Master Distiller, Kirsty’s Gin is a smooth gin with floral and citrus hints – best served in a G&T garnished with blueberries. AK’s gin has an earthy and spicy flavour – local honey adds a smooth sweetness.

Porter’s Gin

Based inside one of Scotland’s best cocktail bars, Langstane Distillery is a unique micro-distillery focusing on a modern style of ‘cold’ distillation. This is the home of Porter’s Gin, and is Aberdeen’s first gin distillery in over 100 years. The small team also partner with the UK’s oldest gin distillers, G & J, to distill some of the spirit. This partnership is fundamental to Porter’s, which combines modern and traditional techniques to create a ‘modern classic’ style of gin.

The Glasgow Distillery Company

Vibrant and exciting, just like its home city, Makar Original Dry Gin is the first super-premium gin to be distilled in Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow. Deriving its name from the ancient Scots word for ‘the maker’ or craftsman, the attention to detail when producing this handcrafted gin spreads right down to its presentation in a seven sided bottle representing seven distillations and seven carefully selected botanicals.

To explore our ginteractive map and learn more about Scottish gin visit: www.visitscotland.com/scottishgin

Notes to Editors

• Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
• VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
• The organisation’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
• This will be supported by seven overarching strategies:
  1. Marketing: we will market Scotland and its outstanding assets to visitors from all parts of the world, including the promotion of Scotland to people living in Scotland to visit different parts of the country
  2. Events: we will support the national events strategy and its delivery, and sustain, develop and promote Scotland’s international profile as one of the world’s foremost events destinations
  3. Internationalisation and International Engagement: we will utilise all our platforms to enable Scottish-based tourism businesses to better understand international opportunities and market to a global audience and we will work within One Scotland Partnerships to optimise the potential of Scotland’s Diaspora and our strategic partners at regional, European and global levels
  4. Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
  5. Quality and Sustainability: we will provide support and advice to businesses, with the goal of improving the quality and sustainability of the tourism sector in Scotland. We will provide quality assurance to visitors through our Quality Schemes
  6. Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
  7. Working in Partnership: we will listen to and work with the industry, partners and communities to shape our offering and support
• To ensure everyone can safely enjoy Scotland’s amazing countryside and landscapes, VisitScotland encourages all visitors to fully respect their surroundings by behaving in a responsible and appropriate way.
• VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
• The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
• Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP
• The Scottish Government is the Managing Authority for the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. For further information visit www.gov.scot or follow @scotgovESIF
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• Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)

2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology

• 2017 is the year to delve into the past and discover Scotland’s fascinating stories through a wide-ranging variety of new and existing activity to drive the nation’s tourism and events sector, boosting tourism across Scotland.
• The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology begins on 1 January 2017 and will end on 31 December 2017. It will build on the momentum generated by previous themed years in Scotland including the 2015 Year of Food and Drink, Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
• The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Creative Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Built Environment Forum Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, Museums Galleries Scotland and Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland.
• The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology is supported by £570,000 of Scottish Government funding.
• The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
• For more information visit visitscotland.com/HHA2017 or join the conversation at #HHA2017

SOURCE: VisitScotland

MEDIA CONTACT

Louise Purves

Corporate Press Officer – National
North Region, Consumer PR (Scotland)
Louise.Purves@visitscotland.com
0131 472 2052
Out of hours – 0131 472 2324

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