Scotland


<p>If there’s a totally unnecessary celebration we all need in our lives, it’s World Gin Day. It’s a moment to be proud of our wee nation too – we have over 200 gin makers, making some of the best spirits in the world.&nbsp;</p>



<p>From small-batch craft makers and island distilleries where the weather does most of the branding to city producers and big names, Scottish gin is a masterclass in storytelling, flavour and bottle envy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Drinking gin is easy. Even choosing a gin isn’t too hard, when there’s so much that’s good to choose from. No, the hardest part of World Gin Day? Deciding which bottle you’re emotionally prepared to throw away when it’s empty.</p>



<p>Here are 10 of our favourites:</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-isle-of-harris-gin-the-one-with-seaweed-as-a-botanical">Isle of Harris Gin: The one with seaweed as a botanical</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="left" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="0"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://www.harrisdistillery.com/pages/isle-of-harris-gin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/red_8790.jpg" alt="Harris gin" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>The iconic bottle that looks like sea glass gives Isle of Harris gin its visual standout quality. But beauty isn’t only glass deep. The spirit inside is just as beautifully designed, making a virtue of local-sourced Hebridean sea kelp as one of the nine botanicals that give it its own distinct flavour.</p></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hendrick-s-gin-the-one-that-made-cucumber-a-thing">Hendrick’s Gin: The one that made cucumber a thing</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="right" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="1"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://hendricksgin.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/CL-Banquet-Bottle-RET-UK-LNDS-desktop__FillWzE0ODAsMTAwMF0.jpg" alt="Hendricks gin" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>Master Distiller Lesley Gracie revolutionised gin when she created the recipe for Hendrick’s in the late 1990s. Taking inspiration from her garden she added rose as a botanical and – eccentrically – cucumber. Reminiscent of cucumber sandwiches at a posh garden party, Brits went mad for the gin, and the idea of cucumber as a garnish was born. </p></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-botanist-the-one-with-the-botanicals-on-the-bottle">The Botanist: The one with the botanicals on the bottle</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="left" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="0"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://www.thebotanist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/BOTnick_noraglasses-1.jpg" alt="Botanist" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>Every gin has to have juniper in it as a botanical. Beyond that, the field is wide open for experimenting. Most gins have another eight core botanicals. The Botanist adds those eight and then a further 22 hand-foraged plants and herbs all found wild on the isle of Islay. The result? Part gin, part coastal obsession. A breath of fresh air on a still day. </p></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-edinburgh-gin-the-one-holiday-souvenir-you-ll-be-pleased-you-brought-home">Edinburgh Gin: The one holiday souvenir you’ll be pleased you brought home</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="right" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="1"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://www.edinburghgin.com/our-gins" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/seaside_08.jpg" alt="Edinburgh seaside gin" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>With three core styles – Classic, Seaside (our favourite) and Cannonball – Edinburgh Gin have managed to capture the flavours of Scotland’s capital and bottle it. Floral, modern and endlessly adaptable, whichever variant floats your boat, you’ll be proud to have it in your home bar.</p></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lind-amp-lime-gin-the-one-with-the-bottle-you-ll-struggle-to-throw-away">Lind &amp; Lime Gin: The one with the bottle you’ll struggle to throw away</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="left" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="0"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://www.lindandlime.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/LL_BOTTLE-ART_ORGANIC_300DPI_01.jpg" alt="Lind and lime gin" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>Industrial green glass, minimalist yet mesmerising grooves and an elegant, narrow neck give Lind &amp; Lime Gin a design that looks more like modern architecture than spirits packaging. The gin is really good too – you’ll find it in great bars all over Scotland as a staple.</p></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rock-rose-gin-the-one-with-instagrammable-label-art">Rock Rose Gin: The one with Instagrammable label art</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="right" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="1"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://dunnetbaydistillers.co.uk/shop/rock-rose-gin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/dunnet-bay-distillers-lifestyle-shots-50-scaled-1.jpg" alt="Rock Rose Gin" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>Bold, illustrated and coastal to its core, this is the gin that treats every seasonal release like a gallery drop. Plus they positively encourage you to keep and reuse the distinctive ceramic bottles, selling refill packs that’ll make your pals think the bottle is neverending.</p></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nadar-gin-the-one-that-s-saving-the-planet">Nadar Gin: The one that’s saving the planet</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="left" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="0"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://arbikie.com/products/nadar-gin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/Nadar_gin.jpg" alt="Nadar gin" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>Made on a working Angus farm, Nadar is distilled from peas – yes, you read that right. It makes it a climate positive gin – and a world first. Peas need no fertiliser to grow and because they’re grown on the distillery’s own farm there are no transport miles either. If you ever needed to clear your conscious over pouring a cheeky G&amp;T on a Wednesday, this is the gin for you.</p></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-height-of-arrows-gin-the-one-that-keeps-it-simple">Height of Arrows Gin: The one that keeps it simple</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="right" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="1"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://holyrooddistillery.co.uk/height-of-arrows" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/Height-of-Arrows_Group-Cocktails.jpg" alt="Height of Arrows" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>Gin makers love to mess around with the flavours of different botanicals, but not at Holyrood Distillery. Theirs is a straightforward juniper-only gin. Radical in its simplicity, the juniper infused spirit has two modifiers – beeswax to give the spirit a slick mouthfeel and seasalt which acts as a flavour enhancer. It’s delicious and proof that sometimes you don’t need to overcomplicate things. </p></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-downpour-gin-the-one-that-feels-like-a-storm-in-a-bottle">Downpour Gin: The one that feels like a storm in a bottle</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="left" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="0"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://www.northuistdistillery.com/products/downpour-gin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/Downpour_Scottish_Dry_Gin_4_1296x.jpg" alt="Downpour" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>Inspired by Hebridean weather, this is one of the most atmospheric Scottish gins. The sharp diagonal lines on the bottle mimic the kind of sideways rain you only really experience when you’re in the Atlantic elements. The gin itself is infused with local wild Hebridean heather and has twice the average concentration of botanicals, giving it a cloudy appearance that often matches the weather. </p></div></div></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sule-skerry-gin-the-one-that-looks-like-a-kaleidoscope">Sule Skerry Gin: The one that looks like a kaleidoscope</h2>



<div class="wp-block-create-block-muddy-shopping" data-title-side="right" data-block-type="1"><div class="shopping-spotlight-large" data-order="1"><div class="shopping-item-card large-item"><a href="https://www.orkneygincompany.com/product-page/sule-skerry-gin-70cl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><div class="product-image sticky"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/06/Sule-Skerry.jpg" alt="Sule Skerry gin" /><div class="shopping-item-card--shader"></div><div class="shopping-item-card--overlay"><h6></h6><p class="shopping-item-card--brand"></p><p class="shopping-item-card--price"></p></div></div></a></div></div><div class="shopping-spotlight-small"><div><p>A sunset, a lighthouse and a view that’s misty-eyed, thanks to the way the bottle refracts the image through the liquid of Sule Skerry Gin. Named after the lighthouse on the westernmost point of Orkney, even if you’ve not visited the islands, you’ll find yourself feeling a nostalgia for them. Call it the magic in the glass. </p></div></div></div>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat/restaurants-bars/rooftop-bars/">Shooting the breeze: 16 rooftop bars for booze with views </a></li>



<li><a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/whats-on/june-whats-on/">Midsummer fun! Over 40 things to do around Scotland this June</a></li>



<li><a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/home/interiors/stylish-glassware-barware-entertaining-buys/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cocktail o’clock: Stylish buys to brighten up your barware</a></li>
</ul>


Gin o’clock! 10 Scottish gins to try in your G&T this World Gin Day

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