Edinburgh Gin Classic Review

by | 22 Jan 2019

The bottle of Edinburgh Gin for this review was purchased by From the Gin Shelf. All opinions are that of the author.

Edinburgh Gin Classic.

Scotland produces around 70% of the UK’s gin and there’s now an array of premium craft gins from all over the country. While those from the Highlands and Islands are particularly in vogue (with good reason), one of the most popular Scottish brands of the revival is distilled in its capital city, Edinburgh. I take a look at the distiller’s original masterpiece, Edinburgh Gin Classic.
Gin typeLondon Dry
Produced atEdinburgh Gin Distillery
ABV43%
Key botanicalsOrange peel, mulberries, pine buds, lavender and lemongrass
PriceAbout £28 but can often be found on promotion
Where to buy

Edinburgh Gin Distillery, The Gin Cooperative, Amazon

Also found in most major UK supermakets.

Story.

Edinburgh started its long association with gin in the 1700s. The Netherlands was a key trading partner for Scotland and as a result genever, was imported in vast quantities into the city’s port of Leith.

It’s during this period that our love of gin began, with a ready supply of spices imported via the dock. In the early 1800s, a new type of still was created by Edinburgh’s Robert Stein. His method of continuous distillation improved the quality greatly from the usual pot still method. (Stein’s still was improved upon by Coffey, allowing for even more eventually efficient production.)

Scottish distilleries were soon shipping large quantities of grain spirit to London via Leith, giving rise to the traditional London Dry, we now know and love. The decline in popularity of gin meant that there were no gin distilleries in Edinburgh by the 1970s.

But with gin’s resurgence, the city is now bustling with many great brands including Pickering’s, Electric Spirits Co., the recently launched Lind & Lime, and of course, Edinburgh Gin.

Edinburgh Gin Classic bottle.


Inspired by Edinburgh’s heritage

Spencerfield Spirit Co. was founded by Alex and Jane Nicol in 2005. The husband and wife team initially focussed on whisky, using Alex’s knowledge of the market from his time at Beefeater and Glenmorangie to build the brand.

While working for the latter, Alex discovered a gin recipe in Leith. It had always been his plan to create a gin made to the recipe, and in 2010 Edinburgh Gin was launched. Inspired by its city’s gin-making heritage, Edinburgh Gin has been a huge player in the Scottish capital’s own gin renaissance.

With the gin originally created at Langley Distillery, they launched their own distillery and visitor centre in 2014. (As a side note, it’s a great distillery to visit, with a range of tour options. There are two custom bottles proudly on display at From the Gin Shelf HQ from our own ‘Gin Making Tour’. Highly recommended!)

Partnering with the city’s Heriot-Watt University, who run the world-renowned Master’s in Brewing and Distilling, Edinburgh Gin have a well established link with the local university. Indeed, many of their distillers were educated there, including head distiller David Wilkinson.

Following their flagship Classic gin, several other products have followed, including a range of liqueurs, seasonal gins and their Cannonball and Seaside Gins. The latter was also made in conjunction with students from the Heriot-Watt degree. Largely as a result of Edinburgh Gin’s incredible success, Spencerfield Spirit Company was sold to Ian Macleod Distillers in 2016.

14
botanicals

Juniper, coriander, angelica root, orris root, orange peel, lavender, mulberries, pine buds, lemongrass, cobnuts, lime peel, cassia bark, milk thistle, liquorice root

How to serve Edinburgh Gin Classic

  1. Chill a glass in the fridge
  2. Add plenty of ice to a glass
  3. Pour 50ml gin
  4. Add 50ml of premium tonic water
  5. Twist orange peel over the glass rim and mixture to release essence and add as a garnish
  6. Stir gently and serve

Read my top tips on making the perfect gin and tonic.

Process.

Edinburgh Gin have two distilleries – the original west end location, which is also their visitor centre, and the Biscuit Factory in Leith, Edinburgh’s spiritual home of gin.

A mixture of maceration and vapour infusion techniques are utilised to create the delightful flavour profile of Edinburgh Gin. The process used depends on the suitability for each botanical, of which there are 14. These are: juniper, coriander, angelica root, orris root, orange peel, lavender, mulberries, pine buds, lemongrass, cobnuts, lime peel, cassia bark, milk thistle, liquorice root. An intriguing mix of traditional and contemporary.

It’s well known it takes at least three years to create a legal Scotch whisky. But this Scottish spirit takes just three days! On the first day the still is filled with grain neutral spirit. As with most Scottish gins, and indeed those from throughout the UK, Edinburgh Gin buy this in.

Botanicals such as juniper, citrus peels and coriander seeds are then added and macerated overnight. The following day the still is turned on. It’s at this point that vapour infusion is used with the lavender, pine buds and lemongrass hanging above the grain spirit to allow its vapours to pass over. The heads and tails of the distillate are then recycled. On the final day, the gin is diluted to bottling strength, from around 80% ABV to 43%.

Edinburgh Gin Classic and tonic.
Two Edinburgh Gin and tonics sitting on a table with the Edinburgh Gin bottle in the background

Taste.

To taste, Edinburgh Gin is a triumph! At 43% ABV, it’s certainly not the strongest London Dry you’ll find in today’s market, but on nosing the gin it’s surprising the intensity of the aromas.

With its signature botanicals listed as orange peel, mulberries, pine buds, lavender and lemongrass, the tasting notes aren’t too surprising – but sometimes surprises aren’t always best! There’s a big juniper hit up front on the nose, with citrus not far behind.

Subtle spice and soft floral notes lurk in the background. On the palate, piney juniper gives way to the citrus of the orange peel and coriander, with subtle floral lavender complimenting the piney notes. The finish provides an extremely smooth and creamy mouthfeel. The citrus dies down to leave a warm finish with floral notes lingering delicately.

With tonic

With tonic I’d pair it with either Fever-Tree Mediterranean or a classic Indian such as Franklin & Sons or Fever-Tree. The distiller’s recommended garnish of orange peel is where I’d go too, enhancing the citrus in the gin. If you want something a little sweeter, a wedge works well too.

As a G&T, Edinburgh Gin is a seriously refreshing drink. Juniper and citrus remain the dominant flavours but the floral notes open up a bit with less of a pepperiness and heat, as you’d expect.

Edinburgh Gin & Tonic garnished with a twist of orange peel.

Review verdict.

Several years after launch and with dozens of new brands coming onto the market, the original Edinburgh Gin remains one of my favourite flavour profiles of any Scottish gin. A modern twist on a classic London Dry, it’s highly drinkable and great value for the £28 price tag (although it can sometimes be found significantly cheaper on shopping around).

A modern twist on a classic London Dry…

FAQs

Is Edinburgh Gin a dry gin?
Yes. Edinburgh Gin Classic is a dry gin and is made using the London Dry process.

How strong is Edinburgh Gin?
Edinburgh Gin Classic is 43% ABV.

Who makes Edinburgh Gin?
Edinburgh Gin is made by Ian Macleod Distillers at the Edinburgh Gin Distillery in Edinburgh.

What do you drink with Edinburgh Gin?
Edinburgh Gin Classic is recommended to be served as a gin and tonic with a premium tonic water and a twist of orange peel to garnish.