Ariundle Gin

The name comes from an oakwood. Ariundle Oakwood National Nature Reserve, near Strontian on the west coast of Scotland, is part of the ancient Sunart Oakwood, one of the surviving fragments of Atlantic temperate rainforest on this coast, and The Strontian Distillery named its earth gin after it.

Citrus · Dry · Herbal · Earthy

That gin is one of four. Graeme and Vicki Aitken launched the distillery in 2024 with a Four Elements Collection inspired by local landmarks and stories: Nose of the Fairy Hill for air, Floating Kirk for water, SR38 for fire, and Ariundle for earth. The recipe translates the woodland into botanicals: wood sorrel for a gentle, green acidity, oak bark for a dry, woody base, lemongrass and lime leaf for a clean citrus line, with juniper holding it together at 43%. The balance between bright citrus above and darker oak and sorrel below is what gives the gin its character.

The nose is vibrant and zesty, with earthy forest undertones. On the palate, piney citrus develops into green, earthy and woody notes, the lemongrass fading as the oak comes forward, and the finish is rich and earthy. In its first year, Ariundle reached the finals of The Scottish Gin Awards 2024 and The Gin Cooperative Awards 2024, in categories including Best London DryLondon DryA style, not a place of origin: every flavour comes from distilling natural botanicals. After distillation only water and a trace of sugar may be added, with no flavouring or colouring.GlossarySee London Dry gins Scottish Gin and Best New Gin. Chilling sharpens the citrus; a little dilutionDilutionThe water added by melting ice. In the right amount it opens the aromas and softens the alcohol; too much flattens the drink.Glossary makes the green and woody details easier to separate.

The distillery pairs it with a twist of lemonTwistA strip of peel twisted over the glass to release its oils, then dropped into the drink.Glossary peel, tonic and ice. Fever-Tree's Indian tonicIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary gives the dry, woody side a clean frame. Start with ice and 4 cl of gin, pour in 10 cl of Indian tonic, twist the lemon peel over the drink, and add a couple of wood sorrel leaves, sparingly, so that the forest note stays a detail rather than the headline.