Built by brothers William, John and Robert Harvey in 1881, Bruichladdich Distillery has built its maverick reputation on traditional Victorian distillation methods and a progressive, convention-challenging attitude. In 2000, a private consortium purchased the then semi-derelict distillery: Mark Reynier and Simon Coughlin were fine wine merchants from London fascinated by the concept of terroir: a sense of place. Along with renowned distiller Jim McEwan, this group of visionaries saw Bruichladdich as a remarkable opportunity to make spirits the traditional way, employing real people with real skills. As the innovative and convention challenging distillery soon became branded as The Progressive Hebridean Distillers, they would push the envelope beyond whisky to create The Botanist Gin.
The Botanist Gin is a botanical exploration of our Hebridean home on Islay. Made using 22 hand-foraged wild Islay botanicals which augment 9 core berries, barks and seeds, The Botanist is a gin of layered complexity. Do watch our videos.
Join the team at Bruichladdich Distillery on one of our tours and discover the story of how a reclaimed whisky still was altered to create Islay’s first Dry Gin. Learn about the distillation process and how each of the botanicals contribute to the smooth and versatile flavour of The Botanist. The Botanist Cocktail Experience is a foraged cocktail making class where you can learn about local, seasonal flavours and how to prepare simple syrups for impactful drinks.