This month’s featured gin of the month is the stunning Arbikie Gin!

This beautiful gin is distilled using local honey and wheat farmed at Arbikie along with black pepper, mace and cardamom.

History

‘AK’S Gin’ is named after Alexander Kirkwood Stirling, the father of Arbikie owners Iain, John and David. ‘AK’S Gin’ is distilled using local honey and wheat farmed at Arbikie along with black pepper, mace and cardamom.

As farmers, the Stirlings are very aware of the importance bees play in pollinating crops with recent figures suggesting they are worth £1.8 billion to the UK agriculture industry each year. Arbikie were delighted to work with Colin Smith a leading beekeeper and secretary of the East of Scotland Beekeepers’ Association.

His apiary, which has eight hives in summer, is located in trees surrounded by agricultural land in the Angus countryside. The bees also forage in the formal and productive gardens of an adjacent historic castle, on a selection of trees including chestnut, sycamore and lime and the wild flowers on the cliffs south of Lunan bay.

Sustainability

With wild bees under threat Arbikie plan to install it’s own hives to produce the required honey as well as pollinating the surrounding land. Coupled with growing it’s own Juniper, Arbikie places sustainability at the heart of their business.

With a certain buttery quality thanks to its wheat base spirit, this gin is a beautiful tribute to the owner’s father Alex Stirling.

Use Of Honey

His favourite food – honey – lends the gin its characteristic sweetness, while the botanical blend gives it the weight of liquorice; a woody character as the essential oils come alive on your palate.

Tasting Notes

Tasting notes include butterscotch, honey, vanilla and crème brulee.

Perfect Serve

For the perfect serve, garnish with a fresh sprig of thyme and orange zest.