I can’t say I am very well versed in the world of distillery tours and tastings.
Last year, my boyfriend and I were set on visiting a distillery after deeming it unacceptable that we live in the Highlands and had never been to one.
Unfortunately we fell at the first hurdle, realising one of us would need to drive.
So instead we headed for Tesco, bought a set of whisky miniatures and drank them along with someone we found on YouTube who spoke us through what we should have been tasting.
With that in mind, I headed for Caorunn Gin Distillery last month excited for what would be my first proper tour and tasting experience.
Caorunn Gin is handcrafted in small batches at Balmenach Distillery in Speyside, just outside Grantown-on-Spey. It takes its name from the Gaelic word for rowan berries, one of five Celtic botanicals at the heart of the spirit.
After missing my turnoff on the A95, I looped back round, parked up and headed into the little gift shop to meet my group and guide.
A botanical bonanza
We were greeted by our guide who, despite only having worked there for a couple of months, was extremely knowledgeable and soaked up all our questions throughout the tour.
Our first stop was the Caorunn botanical garden, a small area of plants that gave us our first look at the ingredients that would come together to make the gin.
The other four Celtic botanicals that join rowan berries to make Caorunn are heather, Coul Blush apple, dandelion and bog myrtle – all of which are found and foraged within a 10-minute walk from the distillery. They are combined with six traditional gin botanicals: juniper, lemon peel, orange peel, coriander seeds, cassia bark and angelica root.
Things got exciting as we headed for the distillery, through a wooden door emblazoned with Caorunn’s signature star. We were met with huge shining vats, chambers, tanks and vaporisers, all of which we learned are recycled.
Tasting time
We sat at tables of two, immediately puzzled by the little spray bottles that sat in crates between us.
Then we were thrown right in at the deep end with a taste of a 96% Caorunn. I can’t say it’s like anything I’ve tried before – an insane heat that spread throughout your mouth – nor is it something I reckon I’d go for again.
Using a slightly more palatable regular Caorunn we tested our noses and taste buds. Each of the mysterious spray bottles contained an essence of a botanical, and we marked on a scale of one to 10 how prominent we smelled and tasted it in the gin.
This was a really lovely touch, as it showed us from the get-go that all of us had completely different pallets. Those around me who had been on a fair few distillery tours said they hadn’t done anything like it before.
Now when it comes to the actual tasting section – once your mouth has recovered from the 96% version – the team at the distillery do not hold back.
Distillery manager Kevin MacPherson was there to guide us through, explaining more about the meticulous effort that goes into making each unique flavour.
As someone who struggled to differentiate their coriander seeds from their cassia bark, I appreciated having someone knowledgeable there to help me make the most of the experience.
A new creation
We were treated to four different gins, adding as much tonic to each as we fancied.
Classic Caorunn was first, served with apple slices, then was Raspberry, served with the obvious, then Blood Orange served with an orange slice and Highland Strength, a 54% gin served with apple slices.
I was so pleasantly surprised by the Raspberry, a delicate flavour of wild Scottish raspberries coming through with none of the sickly sweetness I feared. The Blood Orange was citrusy with a little kick from the hint of chili at the back of your throat. The Highland Strength, which I expected to be too strong, was instead smooth and a perfect way to take in all the botanicals.
We were also incredibly lucky to be some of the first to try a brand new gin, Caorunn Cask Aged. Rested in Spanish oak casks, it’s like the best parts of gin and whisky combined.
Caorunn Cask Aged is the distillery’s most exclusive revel yet with only 797 bottles available.
The first Scottish premium gin to be produced in a working malt distillery, it boasts notes of vanilla, sweet spices, candied citrus peel and spiced toffee note.
Once the tour was complete, a very merry and slightly swaying group left the distillery.
Our destination for the evening was the Nethy Bridge Hotel, just a short drive from the distillery, where we enjoyed a delicious meal and revisited our favourite Caorunns.
Book a tour
Caorunn Distillery tours are £18 per person and can be booked at www.caorunngin.com.
You can buy Caorunn Cask Aged at the distillery or on their website from June 21.
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