DRINK - My Top Scottish Boozy Beverages this Christmas
Whether you’re looking for some boozy gift inspiration this year or you need to top up your drinks cabinet, have a wee look at my list and see if there is something that tickles your fancy. Scotland now produces a wide range of spirits including vermouth, beers, absinthe, vodka, rum and of course, gin and whisky.
Here are my Top Scottish Boozy Beverages for Christmas that no household should be without.
GHQ VODKA
Bold nose with clean small grains and a touch of maltiness, soft vanilla and cocoa powder. Creamy with a positive butter note and some minerality and herbal elements on the finish. A refreshing cooling sensation turning into a lovely comforting warmth at the end.
Key ingredients: Royal Deeside honey and hazelnuts.
£38.00 per 70cl bottle
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.ghqspirits.com/product/scottish-vodka
GHQ GIN
Bold and intense start. Beautiful floral notes, some lemon and lavender. Bright and pronounced. It is very bold with a graceful composition of flavours playing along a creamy palate. It turns dry but refreshing at the same time on a long finish.
Style/Classification: Classic Dry Gin
Key ingredients: Juniper, Kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass and black pepper
£38.00 per 70cl bottle
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.ghqspirits.com/product/london-dry-gin
MY TOP SCOTTISH BOOZY BEVERAGES THIS CHRISTMAS
OLD MOTHER HUNT RUM
OMH Scottish Rum is distilled in the historic Scottish market town of Strathaven, just outside of Glasgow. Their rum is spiced and flavoured with only natural, whole ingredients. No synthetic flavourings, colourings or added sugar. Their full flavoured rum is distilled from a ferment of filtered water, yeast and 100% Molasses. It's bottled without chill filtration so none of the natural sweetness and complexity is removed- perfect to enjoy neat or in a cocktail.
Spiced Rum - £30.95 per 50cl bottle
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.oldmotherhunt.co.uk/products/spiced-rum
JOHNNIE WALKER WHISKY
Blended whisky from the five corners of the Scotch whisky. Ideal as a dram or perfect for cocktails
Johnnie Walker Limited Edition Princes Street Blend + Harris Tweed carry bag - £169 per 70cl bottle
BUY HERE - Purchase this bottle in store only or buy other Johnnie Walker whisky here - www.malts.com/en-gb/products/johnnie-walker
INFO HERE - www.johnniewalker.com/en-gb
GLEN MORAY WHISKY
Three new limited edition treasures from their Warehouse Collection have been released. This tantalizing trio is comprised of Amarone Finish which showcases Glen Moray’s affinity with the full-bodied red wines of Italy; Amontillado Finish, adventuring beyond the whisky’s classic sherry maturation with dryer, deeper, richer notes; and Oloroso Fully Matured, Glen Moray spirit rested for eight years in Oloroso casks to release the rich, sweet notes of this characterful sherry.
From £73.94 per 70cl bottle
BUY HERE - www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/glen-moray
INFO HERE - www.glenmoray.com
BELHAVEN BEERS
My favourite, the Belhaven Scottish Oat Stout. A dark, rich and layered stout with a wonderful silky texture and a lingering finish. We use a complex mash including roasted barley and oats along with 3 types of malt to give the beer plenty of black coffee and dark chocolate notes that make this stout intense yet approachable. Pale, Chocolate, Crystal, Roast Barley and Oats
From £2.20 per bottle
BUY HERE - www.shop.greeneking.co.uk/collections/belhaven-brewery
INFO HERE - www.belhaven.co.uk
X-MUSE VODKA
X MUSE, pronounced ‘tenth muse’, is the first blended barley vodka inspired by the spirit making traditions of Scotland. Honouring spirit-making traditions, X MUSE uses two heritage prized barley varieties for flavour, Plumage Archer and Marris Otter. X MUSE draws water from the ancient aquifer at the heart of Jupiter Artland. Delicate, fresh mouthfeel, sweetness opens up releasing pear drops and juicy, crisp apples together with richer, baked apples, hints of honey, ginger and nutmeg, leading to cider notes and subtle, underlying dryness with a hint of creaminess.
£55.00 per 70cl bottle
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.xmusevodka.com/products/x-muse-scottish-barley-vodka
REDCASTLE GIN
A handcrafted Scottish Gin that contains a secret mix of 13 botanicals to deliver a tasty citrus spiced flavour. They also have Old Tom Gin, a range of liqueurs and Spiced Rum.
£35.00 per 70cl bottle
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.redcastlegin.co.uk/shop/redcastle-premium-scottish-gin
ARBIKIE STRAWBERRY VODKA
Arbikie Strawberry Vodka is the product of nature and nurture: full of authentic flavour, pure and proudly chemical free. Their vodka also has its own unique vintage, because no two crops are ever the same. The fresh strawberries change subtly in flavour each year depending on the seasons’ changeable weather. This expressive vodka is naturally fruity, sweet, smooth and refreshing with a glorious strawberry jam aroma.
£45 per 500ml
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.arbikie.com/products/strawberry-vodka
ROCK ISLAND BLENDED WHISKY
An extraordinary encapsulation of the very best Single Malts distilled on the glorious islands of Islay, Arran, Jura and Orkney (amongst others), Rock Island is a subtle, smoky and sweet celebration of the sea. If you want a kick-ass Bloody Mary, you need Rock Island!
£40.00 per 70cl bottle
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.douglaslaing.com/collections/rock-island/products/rock-island
LIND AND LIME GIN
Lind & Lime Gin is their classic London Dry Gin, produced and bottled at the Coburg Street Stillhouse in Leith. Distilled with 7 botanicals with Juniper as the backbone, complemented by crisp and citrusy lime, and underpinned by earthy flavours of pink peppercorns. The result is deliciously complex, dry and thoroughly refreshing.
£35.00 per 70cl bottle
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.leithexport.com/collections/gin/products/lind-lime-gin
SWEETDRAM ABSINTHE
They use hand-picked, air-dried sweet cicely to tinge their Wild Absinthe with a pale green hue. On the nose it’s raw fennel and lavender, on the palate black liquorice, sea salt and pine oil and on the finish, mint and camphor. It’s rather delicious.
£28.00 per 350ml bottle
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.sweetdram.com/products/sweetdram-wild-absinthe-2022
VALENTIAN VERMOUTH
A sweet red expression. Valentian Rosso is a rich yet delicate vermouth with aromas of bergamot, red summer fruits and malt barley on the nose, lightly candied orchard fruits and gently herbaceous on the palate – a beautiful balance of bitter and sweet.
£28.50 per 70cl bottle
BUY AND INFO HERE - www.valentianvermouth.com/product/valentian-vermouth-rosso
FRAiser OF SCOTLAND STRAWBERRY WHISKY LIQUEUR
Fraiser Liqueur is a combination of whisky and wild strawberries, created by John Smith (who was previously Head Blender at Glenmorangie). It’s delicious and creamy and best poured over ice cream or ice. Although a strawberry liqueur it has an overwhelming taste of almond or marzipan.
£33.95 per bottle
BUY HERE - www.masterofmalt.com/liqueurs/fraiser-of-scotland
MORE INFO HERE - www.fraiserliqueur.com
BRUADAR MALT WHISKY LIQUEUR
Bruadar is a Scottish malt whisky liqueur, formerly known as Scottish Highland. Bruadar is the Scottish Gaelic word for "dream", and with its flavour profile of honey and sloe berries, this dreamily smooth liqueur is wonderfully well balanced without being overly sweet.
£24.94 per 70cl bottle
BUY HERE - www.masterofmalt.com/liqueurs/scottish-liqueur-centre/bruadar-malt-whisky-liqueur
MORE INFO HERE - www.bruadarliqueur.com