Press release -
Scotland in a glass
A hand-crafted gin, infused with Scottish thistle and heather is set to get Scotland in the spirit this summer as the country welcomes the world for Homecoming 2014, the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup.
Created by one of Scotland’s newest (and currently smallest) distilleries – Strathearn Distillery – the new Homecoming Gin was launched today in Perthshire as the team prepare to travel to Glasgow and Edinburgh to give the public their first taste of the spirit at The List’s Food and Drink Guide Launch events (15 & 16 April).
Using the highest quality distilled gin, the team at Strathearn prepare and infuse by hand the Scottish ingredients of thistle and heather to create the Homecoming-inspired spirit. Together with other botanicals, the eclectic mix results in a taste which experts say is reminiscent of “Lovehearts and Sherbet Dip”.
The Gin, which is available to buy in Royal Mile Whiskies and Ellies Cellar amongst other outlets has a delicate balance of floral and cream notes with a hint of citrus zest and is said to be best enjoyed over ice with a small amount of mild tonic and no fruit – the perfect summer aperitif.
Due to the hand-crafted process, only small batches of the Homecoming Gin are produced at a time and all bottling and corking is done by hand.
The Gin, from Strathearn Distillery, adds to a growing number of small and large businesses that have partnered up with Homecoming Scotland to promote their brands. Other products include a Homecoming beer by Inveralmond Brewery, a Homecoming Cheese by Connage Dairy in the Highlands as well as various Homecoming tours provided by travel companies.
Caroline Packman, Director of Homecoming Scotland said: “We are absolutely delighted that Strathearn Distillery has captured the spirit of Homecoming with this fantastic and unique flavour, infused with the most incredible Scottish ingredients including of course the illustrious thistle and heather.
“It is great to see so many businesses getting involved in Homecoming and we hope the events and activities across the country are really capturing the imagination of people both within Scotland and across the world. 2014 is truly a very special year.
David Lang, Director at Strathearn said: “We are delighted to have the support from Homecoming Scotland to bring out this very special hand-crafted gin. When we were asked to create a special Gin we instantly thought of the quintessentially Scottish ingredients of Thistle and Heather. After many late nights we came up with this delicious recipe that to top it off, tastes a little like sherbet dip which many of us will remember from our childhoods in Scotland. It’s an exciting year ahead for Scotland with the Ryder Cup, The Commonwealth Games and many exciting Homecoming events and we hope that this wonderful Gin adds to everyone’s enjoyment this year. Slàinte.”
Strathearn Distillery is Scotland’s newest (and currently smallest) distillery, located in a traditional farm steading near Methven, Perthshire. The Homecoming Gin adds to their portfolio of three artisan gins proving popular with customers across the country, from Fortnum and Mason to Gleneagles Hotel. To pick up a bottle of the Homecoming Gin, contact Strathearn Distillery: info@StrathearnDistillery.com / 01738 840 100
Homecoming Scotland 2014 features over 800 events across length and breadth of the country. Visitors from around the world are invited to join in a celebration of the nation’s food and drink, active pursuits, cultural heritage, nature and ancestral heritage. Homecoming Scotland 2014 is a Scottish Government initiative being led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, supported by many partners.
To find out more visit www.homecomingscotland.com
For further information contact:
Kate Turnbull
Corporate Press Manager
0131 472 2324
Out of hours media enquiries: 07699 766986
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- homecoming 2014
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors:
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- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- 2014 is the year Scotland welcomes the world, when it hosts the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and more than 800 Homecoming events throughout the country.For more information on Homecoming Scotland 2014, go to www.visitscotland.com
- The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face-to-face channel engaging with around five million visitors and locals each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24 million for Scotland’s economy.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the industry contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
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- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
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