Virtual Gin Tasting Programme Saturday 20th April 2024

What inspired you to make gin in and what do you love about the process?

Our inspiration to make gin has stemmed from a love of the spirit and its incredibly versatile nature. Meeting at University, we found ourselves in the midst of the gin renaissance in the UK and during countless social events and evenings out it was apparent that gin was becoming more and more popular. We, like so many others started with an ever growing ‘Gin Shelf’ and we regularly added to this by trying to find new an obscure gins, finding both joy in the spirit and the bottles it came in.

The obsession grew to trying to gain more knowledge on how and why so many of these gins came about, which in turn eventually fed the urge to want to have a go ourselves.

At the height of our obsession with researching the distilling and rectifying process I had a major family loss which left us at a crossroads with the potential for a new adventure. We decided to go for it and quickly found ourselves deep in the process of recipe development, distillery construction and brand design. Before long we had a place, USP, name and vision.

With regards to the process of making our gin itself, I love the intricacy of picking apart the recipe. With every new batch I make, I try to replicate the exact parameters of the previous distillation knowing that the smallest thing can alter the profile, even down to the atmospheric pressure and temperature. But most of all I think its the joy of knowing that the liquid that condenses from the vapour creating our hearts cut will make countless delicious drinks for so many fans of Igneous Gin.

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

I would have to say the biggest challenge for me was converting what used to be my parents workshop on the remote Ardnamurchan Peninsula into the Distillery. Getting it through planning, building regulations and environmental health standards was months of headaches, breakdowns and late nights. We had to take what was essentially a tin shed full of dusty antiques and rehome, sell and remove it all before the whole place had to be rewired, new mains power feed, new water treatment system for the deep water source, new plumbing, drylining and decorating. Not to mention the logistics of getting a 250 litre smart still installed and all the required vessels and equipment for the distilling process.

I know a lot of owners say that licensing is the tricky part, but for me Id say yes it was time consuming and lots of hoops and paperwork to complete. However there is a clear structure on how to reach the end goal of being licensed. Dealing with regulations for electrical, water, fire and general construction is a mine field, one I would definitely try to avoid again.

What is your favourite Gin Cocktail and how do you make it?

Personally my favourite is the Classic Negroni. I like to used equal measures of Igneous West Highland Dry Gin, Vermut Lustau Vermouth and Campari. Muddled with a block of ice and strained over a large ball of ice garnished with a wedge of fresh orange.

What is your perfect serve?

Our perfect serve for Cascave Premium Dry Gin is a classic and refreshing G&T with a twist. Start with a copa glass filled with plenty of ice, allowing the gin to chill perfectly. Pour a measure of Cascave Premium Dry Gin over the ice, followed by a quality tonic water. We recommend a premium tonic with subtle botanical notes to complement the gin’s complex flavours. Garnish with a slice of fresh lemon or a twist of grapefruit peel to enhance the citrus notes of the gin and add a touch of elegance to the presentation. This simple yet sophisticated serve allows the vibrant botanicals of Cascave Premium Dry Gin to shine, creating a memorable tasting experience.

What do you love about Gin/Distilling?

What we love about gin is its incredible versatility and diversity. Gin is like a blank canvas that allows us to express our creativity and showcase a wide range of flavours and botanicals. From classic London Dry Gins to more adventurous and innovative expressions, there’s always something new and exciting to discover in the world of gin, such as their unique Cave Aged Gin. Gin offers a wide range of flavour profiles, from classic juniper-forward gins to more contemporary and innovative botanical blends. It’s a spirit that can be enjoyed in so many different ways, whether it’s in a classic G&T, a refreshing gin cocktail, or sipped neat to appreciate its complex flavours. Gin also has a rich history and tradition, with each distillery bringing its own unique story and expertise to the craft. We love how gin brings people together, like it has done with myself, Mum, Julie and my sister, Heidi, sparking conversations and creating memorable experiences with every sip.

Do you have any exciting plans for the rest of 2024?

We have a lot of exciting plans in store for the rest of 2024! We’re constantly striving to innovate and expand our offerings, whether it’s through new product launches, collaborations with other brands, or engaging events and experiences for our customers. We’re also focused on growing our presence in both local and international markets, sharing our passion for craft gin with enthusiasts around the world. Additionally, we’re committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship, exploring ways to reduce our carbon footprint and promote eco-friendly practices throughout our operations. Overall, we’re looking forward to an action-packed year ahead, filled with creativity, growth, and plenty of gin-inspired adventures!

What made you want to start a distillery?

I spent 30 years in the pharmaceutical industry as a research and development chemist leading teams and discovering new medicines. As a keen foodie I was always interested in food and drink and I wanted to do something different and have a career change into something to do with food or drinks.  This was six years ago and coincided with the rise of artisan gin, when I looked into the manufacture of gin it was clear there was a much more efficient way to make gin using modern technology. The technology to extract flavours from botanicals using vacuum distillation is already used to make some gins but when you couple that to use of microwave technology it has revolutionised the production of gin and other rectified spirits.  The process I have developed only uses a tiny percent of the energy of a pot still.  When you consider at least half if not more of the carbon footprint of a bottle of gin comes from the heat of distillation this is a massive step forward for the industry. So in 2019 we entered our spirits into three prestigious competitions, the IWSC, the Irish Gin Awards and the Great Taste awards.  We were pleased to be scored 93% in the IWSC narrowly missing a Gold, we scored Two Stars in the Great Taste awards meaning it is outstanding above and beyond delicious and we won the Champion of Champions at the Irish Gin awards – the best gin across the whole of Ireland.  This was important validation as all the judges said our gin we as good as or better than our peers.

These results gave us the confidence to open our distillery.

Do you have any exciting plans for 2024?

Because of our low energy production process we will be expanding the Symphonia brand into new markets where consumers are looking for products with true sustainability credentials to do their bit to combat climate change.  This includes Scandinavian countries and California.  We will also be seeking to licence the technology we have developed to the big gin producers because the energy savings are massive and would make a serious contribution to the net carbon zero target by 2050.

Do you have any new products in the pipeline?

We brought out a prototype Damson Gin before Christmas and that sold well so we will look to bring that out in the Symphonia colours.  Our ethos is to showcase local ingredients so we are always on the look out for new ingredients from the area so we are happy to hear from suppliers who have a sustainable supply of ingredients.

Would you ever consider experimenting with other spirits such as Rum?

Funny you should ask about rum, as the cat is out of the bag – we will be releasing our first rum in the coming weeks! Last February, we distilled Batch 1 of ‘The Guffy Curse Island Rum’, using molasses, coconut, vanilla & other good stuff! It’s been aging away in virgin oak casks, hidden in the back of our distillery. We cracked the cask over the last couple of day for its final tasting, so once we’ve dotted our I’s & crossed our T’s, it’ll be released into the world! We decided to produce a rum because not only are we rum lovers ourselves, but it’s the drink of our island & the islanders throughout history. Rum has a long & exciting maritime history, as does Holy Island & we wanted to bring the island spirit back to the island! We named it ‘The Guffy Curse’ after an old wife’s tale passed down from generation to generation on the island about fisherman seeing ‘P-I-Gs’ before hopping on board & subsequently periling at sea. To this day, the word ‘P-I-G’ is never muttered on the island, instead we use the word ‘Guffy’!

How long did it take you to finalise your Pomegranate & Rooibos Leaf Gin recipe?

As much as we would love to say that we had a team of scientists working away for months & months to come up with the perfect flavour combinations, unfortunately we can’t. Our method for coming up with new recipes normally consists of one of us going ‘wouldn’t it be cool to distil a gin with X in?’ & we work outwards from there! For our Pomegranate & Rooibos Leaf gin (lovingly known as Siren), Andy with a pint in hand said, “Pomegranate is a bit fun & unusual, let’s try that”, so we sat & listed a whole load of botanicals that would pair deliciously with Pomegranate & create the flavour profile that we wanted, picked our favourites & distilled them! Luckily, we didn’t need to do too much tweaking, so really our recipe only took a week or so to finalise!

What is your favourite product from your range and why?

Our original Creed & Tide Gin will always have our hearts, but our Lime & Sea Salt is something a bit special! We decided on the flavour as we’re both massive Tequila & Margarita fans. We did wonder whether these flavours would work in a gin, but we are glad to say they did! We distil with loads of fresh lime, coconut & other botanicals then we add a pinch of Holy Island Sea Salt afterwards. There’s someone who lives on Holy Island, who pumps sea water from our shore & organically dries it out to be left with beautiful, untouched sea salt, so it was meant to be! Keeping it at 57%, Hold Fast packs a flavour punch but with the addition of sea salt, it’s oh so smooth! Distilled on an island, with lime & coconut, octopus on the bottle, navy strength AND sea salt – you couldn’t get a more nautical gin if you tried!