
Arbikie AK's Gin
Arbikie · Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery
Arbikie grows its own wheat and potatoes on their Highland estate, giving them rare control over the base spirit. AK's Gin reflects that precision — the botanical integration feels seamless, with no single element shouting over another. It's a gin that performs beautifully in cocktails but genuinely rewards neat tasting.
Nose
Bright juniper opens immediately, accented by warm ginger and fresh coriander seed. A soft floral note — almost like meadowsweet — adds a pastoral quality, with a clean citrus backbone of lemon and gentle black pepper.
Palate
Medium-bodied with a creamy texture that carries honeyed juniper and cassia bark warmth across the tongue. Angelica root provides earthy structure, while a flash of grapefruit pith adds welcome bitterness on the mid-palate.
Finish
Clean and lingering, with juniper, a trace of pepper, and a final herbal exhale.
- Style
- Scottish Dry Gin
- Botanicals
- Juniper, coriander, cassia bark, angelica root, black pepper, lemon peel, ginger, honey, kelp, mace, caraway
- Base Spirit
- Estate-grown wheat
- Distillation
- Pot-distilled from estate-grown wheat spirit, vapor-infused with botanicals
Cocktail Suggestion
Highland Gimlet — 2 oz Arbikie AK's Gin · 0.75 oz fresh lime juice · 0.5 oz heather honey syrup · Shake with ice, fine strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lime wheel.
Food Pairing
The gin's peppery juniper and citrus cut through the rich, fatty salmon while complementing the herbaceous dill. The ginger warmth echoes the smokiness.
Distilled on the Arbikie family farm overlooking the North Sea in Angus, Scotland, where the Stirling family grows the wheat for their base spirit and many of the botanicals within sight of the still house.
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