A Loch Ness doctor and a retired detective have launched Scotland’s first absinthe blanche.
Using botanicals hand-picked from around their 500-year-old ancestral home and pure water that flows into the famous loch, Lorien and Kevin Cameron-Ross have created the recipe for Loch Ness Absinthe.
Following a trip to the birthplace of the spirit, Val-de-Travers in Switzerland, the couple learned to fine-tune the craft of making absinthe which was first used as a medicinal remedy by a French doctor living in the country.
Although best known as the drink popular among artists and writers in Paris, including Vincent Van Gogh and Ernest Hemingway, the couple decided to create their own Scottish blanche recipe.
Absinthe blanche dates back to 1910 following the ban of green absinthe in various countries due to its unfounded hallucinogenic properties.
This led to the illegal production of clear absinthe in Switzerland, making it harder for the authorities to identify.
Mrs Cameron-Ross said: “We are really proud of our Loch Ness Absinthe boasting our very own homegrown botanicals including wormwood mixed with nearby fresh water which flows into the famous loch.
“We felt there was gap in the market for an absinthe blanche in Scotland so decided to put the wheels in motion last year and began to research its history and fully understand the craft of creating and distilling it.”
The couple say they are firm believers in “mindful drinking” and have created a product which has a lower ABV of 53% than absinthe verte, which is usually around 72%.
She added: “I’ve worked hard to get the recipe exactly the way I wanted and in the process perfected the art of distilling it to get the exact results I was looking for.
“With the help and support of Kevin, we will drive our plans forward to launch even more products, inspired by the loch and the land around us.”