{"id":24020,"date":"2019-04-27T08:44:13","date_gmt":"2019-04-27T12:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.toeuropeandbeyond.com\/?p=24020"},"modified":"2021-08-03T23:02:23","modified_gmt":"2021-08-04T03:02:23","slug":"scotland-gin-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toeuropeandbeyond.com\/scotland-gin-trail\/","title":{"rendered":"Driving Scotland\u2019s Gin Trail \u2013 How, Where & When To Do It"},"content":{"rendered":"

M<\/span>y first brush with gin first serendipitously occurred a few years ago in a pub in Notting Hill, London, on a sun-drenched Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n

After stating to Paul, the bartender, that I was uninterested in ales and frankly over cider, I nonetheless felt dubious when he suggested a gin & tonic. Sensing my disappointment, he specified right away that this wasn\u2019t my grandmother\u2019s astringent gin but rather a delectable concoction of Scottish botanicals: a trailblazing spirit named Hendrick\u2019s.<\/p>\n

And while my recollection of that evening is slightly clouded by my, ahem, journalistic appetite for exhaustivity (read: deliriously taste every gin on the menu), I distinctly remember the epiphany of knowing my life would never be the same going forwards.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sorry I ever doubted you, Paul.<\/p>\n

Cue to 2018; I have since then become what you might describe something of a gin enthusiast. I frequent Montreal\u2019s gin bars on an almost weekly basis, I purchased a gigantic sideboard for the sole purpose of braggingly showcasing my growing gin collection, I event went as far as private imports\u2026 it only made sense that I would embark on an epic two-week trip to the heartland.<\/p>\n\t

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Scotland Itinerary: 10 Sights and Attractions You Can\u2019t Miss<\/a><\/h4>\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

Here\u2019s everything you need to plan a gintastic (I apologise in advance as there are plenty of cringey gin-related puns ahead) trip around Scotland and beyond.<\/p>\n

What Is the Scotland Gin Trail?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Scotland
Somewhere on the northern edges of North Coast 500<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Essentially the clear spirits\u2019 answer to the ever-so-popular whiskey, the Scotland Gin Trail is a cheeky tourist route crafted by Visit Scotland<\/a> harnessing the diversity and creativity of passionate entrepreneurs across the country.<\/p>\n

There are now over 70+ gin distilleries in Scotland \u2013 with even more being built \u2013 each with its own distinctive flavours and character.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gin’s dominant aromas of juniper are no longer estranged to dark chocolate, rosehip, honeysuckle, fir, white peppercorn, lemon, rhubarb, camomille, seaweed… in fact, the whopping amount of potential combinations is further multiplied by the variety of tonics and garnishes on offer in any given bar.<\/p>\n

Encompassing both mass producers as well as emerging craft distillers, the ambitious itinerary criss-crosses all of Scotland, from Dumfries to the tip-top of the Highlands, and teaches visitors the evolution of gin and how it became part of Britain\u2019s fabric.<\/p>\n

My Favourite Gin Distillery in Scotland: Dunnet Bay Distillers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Scotland-Gin-Trail-Dunnet-Bay-Distillery-tastings\"
Laura explains how to taste gin and what aromas to look for<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n