Bruichladdich The Botanist Islay Dry Gin Cask Aged
The Botanist · Bruichladdich Distillery
Taking the already place-driven Botanist and resting it in ex-Bruichladdich casks brings a new dimension. The wood doesn't overpower — it deepens. This is a gin that insists on its Islay identity at every turn, from wild botanicals foraged on the island to the whisky casks that finish the job.
Nose
Herbal juniper and meadowsweet give way to chamomile and a subtle vanilla oakiness from cask resting. Floral notes of wild thyme and a hint of lemon zest add brightness against the soft woody backdrop.
Palate
Creamy texture with a gentle peppery warmth. The 22 hand-foraged Islay botanicals shine through — juniper remains prominent but shares space with orris root, coriander, and an almost waxy, resinous quality. Faint vanilla from the wood rests beneath without dominating.
Finish
Long and gently warming, with juniper, meadowsweet, and a final whisper of vanilla-tinged wood.
- Style
- Cask-Aged Islay Dry Gin
- Botanicals
- Juniper, chamomile, meadowsweet, wild thyme, orris root, coriander, lemon balm, mugwort, elder, gorse, creeping thistle, white clover, sweet cicely, hawthorn, spearmint, apple mint, water mint, wood sage, tansy, bog myrtle, heather, birch
- Base Spirit
- Neutral grain spirit
- Distillation
- Slow distillation in a unique Lomond pot still ('Ugly Betty') with 22 hand-foraged Islay botanicals
Cocktail Suggestion
Islay Martini — 2.5 oz The Botanist Cask Aged · 0.5 oz Dolin Blanc vermouth · 1 dash orange bitters · Stir with ice for 30 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.
Food Pairing
The gentle smoke of the trout and the richness of the rillettes match the gin's cask-aged depth, while crème fraîche and fresh dill echo the herbal botanicals. Serve with oatcakes.
Distilled in the Lomond still nicknamed 'Ugly Betty' at Bruichladdich on Islay's western shore, using 22 botanicals foraged by hand from the island's bogs, dunes, and shoreline by botanist Richard Colville.
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