
Arbikie Kirsty's Gin
Arbikie · Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery
Arbikie grows its own grain on the estate — a true field-to-bottle gin that lets terroir mean something concrete. Kirsty's Gin channels Scottish coastal character without resorting to gimmick, delivering a gin that is classically structured but unmistakably rooted in place. Exceptional in a Martini.
Nose
Juniper leads confidently but gives space to bright lemon citrus and a floral honey-like note from the kelp botanical. Underneath sits a warm cassia bark spice and a gentle earthiness from the estate-grown base spirit.
Palate
Vibrant and textured, with herbaceous juniper layered over coriander warmth and a distinctive briny, slightly peppery character. The lemon note persists through the mid-palate, and a whisper of black pepper keeps the profile savory.
Finish
Medium length with a clean juniper fade and a lingering lemon-peel brightness. The pepper note stays through the close.
- Style
- Scottish Dry Gin
- Botanicals
- Juniper, coriander, cassia bark, lemon peel, black pepper, kelp, blaeberries, mace
- Base Spirit
- Estate-grown wheat spirit
- Distillation
- Pot distilled with vapor infusion basket
Cocktail Suggestion
Coastal Martini — 2.5 oz Arbikie Kirsty's Gin · 0.5 oz dry vermouth · Stir with ice for 30 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lemon twist.
Food Pairing
Smoked mackerel pâté on oatcakes
Distilled at the Arbikie Highland Estate on the Angus coast of Scotland, where master distiller Kirsty Black grows the wheat for the base spirit in the same fields that overlook the North Sea.
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