Isle of Harris Gin Review

“For, with and from the Isle of Harris”

There’s been a huge debate about the provenance of gin, especially in Scotland.

What defines a Scottish gin? Many believe a true Scottish gin needs to be distilled in the country, while The Gin Cooperative have been doing their bit to increase transparency about where a gin is made.

Provenance is also central to Harris Distillers. One of their core values is ‘for, with and from the Isle of Harris’. As well as working to provide jobs for the local economy, they also use local ingredients as one of their key botanicals – sugar kelp. This is ethically harvested from around the island by local diver Lewis Mackenzie.

To further reinforce the island connection, the distillery’s coordinates are printed on the tape across the bottle stopper. You can be sure that your bottle of Harris Gin was created in Tarbet at 57° 53’ N 6° 48’ W.

Harris Distillers’ strict ‘buy direct’ model is also quite unique. With a network of ‘click and collect’ partners, every order of Isle of Harris gin is placed through their own website or in person at the distillery. By controlling the supply chain in this way, it helps to maximise profit margins, while adding that extra sparkle of magic for the customer. Every drop is distilled and bottled in Harris, and shipped directly to you.

Nose

Opening the cork gives a satisfying deep, echoey pop. It certainly whets the appetite. As you nose the gin, it’s juniper-forward, fresh and sweet. Citrus notes of the bitter orange and coriander aren’t far away, while always in the background is the sugar kelp, adding a rich maritime scent, really helping to transport you to the Hebridean isle.

It’s very much a traditional gin to the nose, but with a contemporary twist.

Neat

To taste neat, citrus notes are the first to appear before fading to bring juniper from the background. There’s a sweetness here from the liquorice before the cassia bark and cubeb provide a peppery finish. The sugar kelp makes itself known with a sweet saltiness.

Overall, it’s a really well-balanced, refreshing and smooth gin. There’s nothing too overpowering and certainly enjoyable as a sipping gin, which is Harris Distillers’ preferred way of drinking it.

With tonic

When tonic is added, there’s not much I can say other than “wow!” A G&T really takes Harris Gin to a whole new level. The juniper and sugar kelp rush to the fore, closely followed by sweet citrus. The sweetness is accentuated compared to when tasted neat, while there’s a floral fruitiness in the background. It’s absolutely divine.

As the citrus fades away there’s a gently warming spice and herbaceous finish. Bitter citrus lingers on the taste buds, should you be able to wait long enough before having another sip from your glass! There’s no doubt you’re drinking something special and it’s exactly the sort of flavour profile I love.

Harris Distillers recommend Walter Gregor’s Tonic Water, which goes really nicely with the gin. It’s lighter on the fizz than many brands, so if you like something a bit more bubbly, I’d recommend Fever-Tree Mediterranean. To garnish, they recommend red grapefruit, while my personal preference is a wedge of orange. Either way, it’s a simply stunning gin.

Now onto the bottle! If there’s a more stunning design, both conceptually and aesthetically, I’ve yet to see it. I named it my favourite against some tough opposition, and while there’s been some lovely new packaging on the market nothing has surpassed this thing of beauty.

Working with specialist spirits branding agency Stranger & Stranger, they’ve come up with something which really encapsulates the stunningly rugged landscape of Harris. The ribbed turquoise bottle, reflecting the island’s crystal clear water.

Each label is unique too – individually flecked with fragments of copper leaf and sugar kelp, further capturing the Hebridean landscape. There are fingerprints on the sides of the bottle too as if the bottle was washed up on the beach.

On the bottom of the bottle there’s a hidden message in Latin – “Esse Quam Videri”, which means “to be, rather than to seem”.

There’s no doubt the bottle has added to the enormous demand Harris Distillers have experienced for their gin. However, that’s only going to get you so far. It’s the spirit on the inside that will have people coming back time and again for more – myself included.

Isle of Harris Gin is everything I hoped it to be. It’s the new jewel in the Scottish gin crown. Where once Hendrick’s was the pioneer, Harris Gin has taken up the mantle.

For me it ticks every box – both as a gin fanatic and by meeting the aims Bakewell set out to achieve. The beauty of the island is enclosed in the bottle and is now sent out to every corner of the globe. They’ve done things differently. They’ve done things better. And for my money, there’s not a gin out there I’ve tried which can surpass it. The standard has been set. It’s over to the rest to rise to the challenge.