Inshriach Gin - Cairngorm magic!

What do you get if you cross an award-winning shed, 200 acres of Cairngorms National Park flora and a spring?

All in all, it’s not a bad combo for a successful distilling project – which is just as well, as that’s precisely what Inshriach Estate has become wellknown for.

Those of you whose memories stretch back five years or so, will remember Inshriach Estate as the initial home of Crossbill Gin and, in 2015, it picked up Channel 4’s Shed of the Year crown.

While Crossbill has moved on to pastures new in Glasgow, that innovative shed – once the humble domain of chickens – has since become home to the eponymous Inshriach Gin.

Owner Walter Micklethwait moved from London to the estate, previously owned by his grandmother, 10 years ago. His background in the antiques trade, property renovation and set design has brought together a creativity which is felt in all areas of the estate – not least the famous shed and the gins it has fostered.

In addition to Walter’s own Inshriach Gin – which is available in the 43 per cent ABV Original and the robust 57 per cent Navy Strength versions – the distillery also produces spirit for others, including Fidra Gin.

One thing which Walter discovered early on in his new life at Inshriach was native juniper on the estate – plenty of it and all in good health.

And that hit of junipery loveliness is one of the first things you notice about this very classic dry gin.

It’s low on botanicals, with the mainstays being rosehip, Douglas fir and, of course, the Inshriach juniper – “I can stand in one place and as I turn around all my ingredients are collected within a 100 metre radius, including our spring water. The botany and sustainability is everything,” said Walter.

But this concentration of a handful of flavours skilfully combined, has produced distinctive and more than acceptable gins.

The Original gin is very piney on the nose, with a slight background sweetness – all of which reverses once sipped neat; suddenly the pine flavours, undoubtedly supplied by the Douglas fir, slip into the background and there is prominent fruity roundness laced with a touch of aniseed . With Franklin and Sons Natural Light Tonic and a sliver of lime added, this mix suddenly brings together the two sides, combining with the juniper, to make this clean, dry and eminently quaffable.

I turned then to the Navy Strength version with a slight level of trepidation. At 57 per cent ABV this is a bit of a monster – or so I thought. What could have been a growling and irritable tiger turns out to be a soft, honeylicious kitty.

While I say that, there is no getting round that this concoction doesn’t so much punch you on the nose with juniper, as practically lift you out of your seat and slap you round the face – it’s a very prominent hit. But I enjoyed it and once you take that first taste it is somehow forgotten.

It is so thick with essential oils it’s practically syrup and it does bring with it a surprising smoothness as well as an inviting and somewhat unexpected sweetness – in this gin, the fir has become orangey in its flavour and has developed a spicy feel.

Once diluted – same tonic as the Original, again with some lime – the pine seemed to come to the fore for the first time, as the oils danced in the glass releasing an almond and floral hit, none of which is cloying in any way. As with Downpour Gin last month, Inshriach Navy Strength produces a louche of cloudy goodness in the glass, as the oils intensify with every sip producing a viscose slick of flavours.

In terms of shelf appeal its look is utter simplicity – the Original has a cream coloured label with black text, while the Navy Strength has a blue label with white text, both in a simple bell-shaped bottle. The text is sparse and its lack of any logos and clutter is entirely its conspicuous strength.