Scottish Gin Botanicals Guide
Gin, the juniper-flavoured spirit beloved by many, owes its distinctive taste to a wide array of botanicals. In Scotland, a country known for its rich gin-making tradition, distillers have access to a diverse selection of native plants that can be used to craft unique and flavorful gins.
Scottish gins are renowned for their unique and diverse botanicals, many locally sourced and foraged. Here is a comprehensive list of herbs, spices, and botanicals that are commonly used in Scottish gins:
Common Scottish Botanicals
Juniper - Essential for gin, providing the characteristic piney flavour.
Heather - Adds a floral note.
Milk Thistle - Known for its medicinal properties and used in Glaswegian.
Silver Birch Sap - Adds a subtle sweetness.
Fir or Pine Needles - Contribute a fresh, resinous flavour.
Kelp - Adds a salty, maritime note.
Carline Thistle - Provides a bitter, earthy flavour.
Blaeberries - Also known as bilberries, add a fruity note.
Hawthorn Root and Flowers - Contribute a mild, sweet flavour.
Meadowsweet - Adds a sweet, almond-like flavour.
Bladderwrack Seaweed - Adds a salty, umami flavour.
Bog Myrtle - Also known as sweet gale, adds a spicy, aromatic note.
Sea Buckthorn Berries - Provide a tart, citrusy flavour.
Rosehip - Adds a sweet, fruity note.
Scots Lovage - Adds a celery-like flavour.
Rowan Berries - Provide a bitter, then sweet flavour.
Nettle - Adds a green, herbaceous note.
Red Clover - Adds a sweet, floral note.
Gorse Blossom - Adds a coconut-like flavour.
Elderflower - Adds a sweet, floral note.
Dandelion - Adds a slightly bitter, earthy flavour.
Green Sweet Cicely - Adds a sweet, anise-like flavour.
Lavender - Adds a floral, slightly sweet note.
Gooseberry - Adds a tart, fruity note.
Sea Lettuce - Adds a salty, maritime note.
Hogweed - Adds a spicy, aromatic note.
Carrageen - Adds a salty, maritime note.
Wild Water Mint - Adds a fresh, minty flavour.
Sea Pink Flowers - Adds a floral note.
Violet Flowers - Adds a sweet, floral note.
Apple Mint - Adds a fresh, minty flavour.
Mugwort Leaves - Adds a bitter, aromatic note.
Burnet Rose - Adds a sweet, floral note.
Borage - Adds a cucumber-like flavour.
Bere Barley - Adds a malty cereal note.
Lemon Thyme - Adds a citrusy, herbal note.
Lady’s Bedstraw - Adds a sweet, honey-like flavour.
Eyebright - Adds a slightly bitter, herbal note.
Sorrel - Adds a tart, lemony flavour.
Lemon Balm - Adds a citrusy, herbal note.
Chamomile - Adds a sweet, apple-like flavour.
Pink Peppercorns - Adds a spicy, peppery note.
Coriander Seeds - Adds a citrusy, spicy note.
Angelica Root - Adds an earthy, slightly sweet flavour.
Liquorice Root - Adds a sweet, earthy flavour.
Orris Root - Adds a floral, violet-like flavour.
Black Peppercorn - Adds a sharp, spicy note.
Sweet Peel (Orange) - Adds a citrusy, tart note.
Cinnamon - Adds a warm, sweet spice.
Nutmeg - Adds a sweet, earthy spice.
Clove - Adds a warm, aromatic spice.
Cassia Bark - Adds a sweet, spicy note.
Cardamom - Adds a warm, aromatic spice.
Star Anise - Adds a sweet, liquorice-like flavour.
Ginger - Adds a warm, spicy note.
Chilli - Adds a fiery, spicy note.
Mustard Seeds - Adds a spicy, pungent note.
Cumin - Adds a warm, earthy spice.
Rhubarb - Adds a tart, fruity note.
Brambles - Adds a sweet, berry flavour.
These botanicals are used in various combinations to create the distinctive flavours of Scottish gins, which reflect the country's rich natural heritage and diverse landscapes.
