The Botanist launches Islay cask matured gin range
The Botanist Gin has unveiled two new additions to its range: The Botanist Cask Rested Gin and Cask Aged Gin.
The new releases mark the first domestic innovation from the award-winning gin brand.
Located on Islay in the Inner Hebrides in Scotland, Bruichladdich Distillery is well known for pushing boundaries.
The Botanist is conceived, distilled and hand-crafted at Bruichladdich, which is a B Corp Certified Distillery, crafted by 22 hand-picked botanicals.
The Botanist’s Islay Dry Gin has seen considerable success, achieving the status of no.4 Super Premium gin in the world in volume*, and scooping two gold medals at the 2024 World Gin Awards.
Head distiller Adam Hannett and his team have been experimenting with gin maturation at Bruichladdich Distillery since The Botanist was first distilled in 2010.
With over 300 cask types in their Hebridean warehouses, Hannett experimented with wood that has previously held the finest red wine, sherry, American whisky, and virgin oak.
Access to numerous different liquid combinations has allowed him to produce two cuvées unique to Bruichladdich Distillery.
With the aim of adding simplicity and markers of quality to a category in its infancy, The Botanist has chosen to refer to the two new gins as ‘Rested’ and ‘Aged’ – inspired by Reposado and Anejo tequila.
Using a cuvée of 16 different cask types from a variety of regions, The Botanist Cask Rested Gin has been matured for a minimum of six months in a selection of fine casks.
The liquid boasts The Botanist’s signature complexity and fragrant notes of 22 hand-foraged botanicals combined with wood spices to create a vibrant and complex cuvée that Bruichladdich Distiller says redefines what gins can be. The casks influence the spirit, bringing extra viscosity to the palate, the distillery adds.
Inspired by tequila to set the standard for cask matured gin by defining the criteria and classification of the liquid, The Botanist Cask Aged Gin is a cuvée of six different cask types from a variety of regions and has been aged in Bruichladdich’s warehouse for a minimum of three years.
With a creamy and viscous mouthfeel, The Botanist Cask Aged Gin opens with sweet, fresh fruit flavours blended with vanilla ice cream and toasted oak. The depth of the casks and the gentle, earthy spices warm the palate, whilst allowing The Botanist’s floral and herbal notes to remain at the heart of the profile.
Adam Hannett, head distiller, Bruichladdich Distillery, commented on the process: “The complexity of The Botanist and its unparalleled quality make it a pleasure to experiment with. We have watched and waited to see how the balance of the liquid and the 22 Islay botanicals can be further enhanced by resting in fine quality European and American oak casks. This experiment has been decades in the making, and we’re really pleased with the vibrancy and depth of the new liquids.”
The Islay Cask Matured Gin range is available online at thebotanist.com
Islay Cask Rested Gin, RRP £50.00
Islay Cask Aged Gin, RRP £70.00
