Stirling Gin is a 43% ABV London Dry Gin made in small batches at the Old Smiddy, a nineteenth-century blacksmith's workshop at the foot of Stirling Castle. Its six-botanical recipe brings together juniper, orange, lemon, angelica root, foraged Stirlingshire nettles and basil. The nettles give the gin its local character, but the recipe remains firmly structured around dry juniper and bright peel. It is a classic Scottish gin in construction, with a more individual green accent than the category usually offers.

Fresh juniper leads the nose, joined by wild nettle and clean citrus. Orange and lemon brighten the opening without pushing the profile toward sweetness, while basil adds a savoury herbal lift. In the mouth, the texture is balanced and lightly rounded before the gin settles into its drier side. Angelica holds the middle together, and the finish is long, clean and gently peppery, with a quiet nettle warmth that lingers rather than dominates. The 43% strength gives the gin enough backbone to stay clear as dilution develops.

The distillery's preferred long drink is particularly well judged: fill a chilled copa with plenty of clear ice, pour 5 cl of Stirling Gin and add 15 cl of Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water. Garnish with a dried orange wheel and a short sprig of rosemary. Orange complements the citrus already present in the recipe, while rosemary amplifies its herbal side and the Mediterranean tonic keeps the drink aromatic without weighing it down. A brief stir is sufficient; the aim is a crisp, dry gin and tonic whose nettle, basil and juniper remain distinct.