Darnley’s creates coastal-inspired gin
Scotland-based distillery Darnley’s has launched a limited edition gin made with sea buckthorn and sugar kelp.
The Coastal Haar gin was inspired by the East Neuk of Fife and includes botanicals foraged from the shoreline. It sits at 42% ABV. Scott Gowans, the brand’s gin distiller, created each gin in the Cottage Series, including Coastal Haar. He said: “My idea behind this flavour of London Dry Gin came from the unpredictable summers that we experience in the East Neuk. “One minute you will be relishing in the beauty of the coastline while the next, the haar – a cold fog that accumulates over the sea – will be rolling in with a strong breeze. I wanted the new flavour of gin to be reminiscent of this full sensory experience. “I tried to capture the feeling of this typical summer’s day in Scotland by creating a gin using local sea buckthorn which has subtle tropical fruit notes, supported by our cottage garden grown lemon balm and marigold petals.” The gin is the fourth release in the Cottage Series which tells the story of people, the landscape and the botanicals sourced from Fide. Gowans added: “For me, the best part about creating Coastal Haar was working with Jayson Byles at East Neuk Seaweed, an initiative which aims to reduce people’s environmental impact by encouraging them to eat wild, locally produced and seasonal foods. “Jayson sustainably forages sugar kelp from the Fife coastline with the purpose of using it for wild cooking. We were lucky enough to use his harvest to infuse the gin using a vapour basket, creating a beautiful sea salt breeze undertone. “We really do believe that this gin is a rare expression of the heart and soul of our coastline and depicts the essence of Fife perfectly.” The limited edition gin is now available for purchase at the brand’s visitor centre at Kingsbarns Distillery in Fife, or through its online shop, with just under 2,400 bottles produced. Darnley’s Gin boasts a portfolio of three classic gins – Original, Spiced and Navy Strength Spiced – as well as its limited-edition series. Earlier this year, the brand launched recyclable gin pouches as part of its 2022 sustainability strategy.
