The Botanist Islay Dry Gin (750ml)

Staff Reviews

DO

David Othenin-Girard

David Othenin-Girard

K&L Buyer

Jim McEwan's ginny babe is a baby no more. Remy has taken the Botanist out of it's crib and it's quickly becoming one of the hottest gins in the world. That hasn't changed anything about how delicious it is. Still using those same 22 Islay botanicals, the key to the Botanist's complexity is actually the ultra slow distillation at Bruichladdich on the banks of Loch Indaal. 17 long hours to produce one batch on the odd Lomond Still nicked named "Ugle Betty". The resulting spirit is one of the most unctuous and deeply complex gins on the market. Each distinct local botanical infused with the breath of the Queen of the Hebrides.

DO

Dejah Overby

Dejah Overby

This is by far my favorite Gin for martinis. The botanicals are well measured so that one does not overpower any of the others. Bright lemon, a touch of seaweed, and a whisper of moss. The finish is clean and perfect for enjoying stirred and garnished with a lemon twist.

SB

Scott Beckerley

Scott Beckerley

This is going to be a very strange review, so bear with me. Normally, I am NOT a gin fan. I usually don't even like the smell of it. However, this Botanist gin smells, well, like flowers. It has juniper on the nose, but it is very elegant and muted. There are a lot of white flower notes and some rose scents (for me anyway...be patient, I've never described a gin before!). On the palate, it is soft and smooth, with good body that is not too heavy or oily. Here again, the juniper is subtle and almost slighty sweet. This is not gin-and-tonic gin. Don't ruin it by mixing! Serve it neat or maybe with one small ice cube. Better yet, just keep it in the fridge. If a wuss like me can handle it neat, you can too! You won't be disappointed!

Notes

What happens when you take one of the greatest single malt distillers of all time, put him in a room with an old Scottish pot still and have him make gin using only botanicals found on the legendary isle of Islay? Trouble. Trouble for other gin producers, that is. Bruichladdich's Jim McEwan has decided to tackle the gin market and his Botanist gin is simply to die for. Clean, brimming with lemon peel, vibrant juniper and lovely floral notes, and utterly soft on the palate, this is gin to drink neat—straight from the bottle. Made entirely in Bruichladdich's old school pot still (known affectionately as "Ugly Betty"), this is one of the most interesting gins to hit the market—ever. We've been waiting impatiently for more than a year for this to finally make it to California. While the gin itself isn't limited, getting it here has been quite a challenge. We've talked it up to customers for ages, but the time to get some for ourselves is finally here!