It’s fair to say that the term “craft” is having a bit of a moment. Once a simple word to describe something home-made, sticking the word “craft” in front of your product has become somewhat of a marker of quality and skill.
From craft beer to craft dog treats, it seems like everything could qualify as a craft these days. Spirits, in particular, are enjoying a boom of craft production – once rare, it’s now more commonplace to see craft vodka and rum on the shelves.
But what exactly does it mean? And what elevates craft gins from regular gins?
In this article, we’ll explain what makes a craft gin and why our small batch spirits are the best gins for any gin lover. Read on to find out more.
What is craft gin?
Craft gins are, in essence, spirits that are created in small batches by a small team or singular person. Unlike large gin companies, they’ll have a face behind them, and that person will have handcrafted the gin themselves.
Essentially, craft gin is the opposite of mass produced, commercial gins. Many of those who love gin consider it a return to a purer and more authentic form of distilling, and prefer to drink these handcrafted tipples rather than buy off the shelves in a supermarket.
Why choose craft gin?
There are several fantastic reasons to choose craft gin, including:
Every gin is unique
A lovely thing about craft gin is that every bottle can surprise you. Each gin has been hand distilled in small batches by our master distiller, making the flair and flavour of every bottle unique.
The distiller might experiment with style and flavour, tweaking the recipe here and there, and you’ll be met with a truly individual taste. This makes the experience of drinking a Kinrara gin much more exciting, as you might discover something new each time.
We use hand selected ingredients
At Kinrara, we consciously use the environment around us as inspiration for our spirits. Located on the gorgeous Kinrara Estate in the Cairngorms, we’ve designed our distillery with the history and environment of the area in mind. We use traditional distilling techniques to create truly modern tastes.
This attitude extends to our ingredients; we hand pick local botanicals from the surrounding area to inspire and infuse our spirits. From rose and cardamom to lime and lemongrass, each of our flavours has been rigorously developed over time to create the perfect tipple.
It’s common to find different gins use different botanicals depending on where they’re distilled; for example, you’ll find that Spanish gin contains a range of Mediterranean ingredients, including citrus and olives. You might even find that the base of the gin is in fact grapes rather than grains.
Craft distillers are involved in every stage of the process
A true craft distiller will handle all aspects of the production of handcrafted gin, including ingredient selection, distillation, dilution, and bottling. This allows them to leave their mark on every step, creating a cohesive and high quality experience for the drinker.
This is in total contrast to mass-produced gins, which have countless people overseeing the process.
Small batches are closely monitored for quality
Because our gins are distilled in small quantities, we can be stringent about the quality checks we carry out. Each bottle is carefully monitored and tested by us, to ensure that each and every sip perfectly upholds our high standards.
Support local businesses
If you choose a craft gin over a commercially produced one, it’s likely you’re supporting a small business with more ethical practices.
Of course, every distillery is different and it’s always wise to do your research, but one thing you can be sure of is that if you buy mass produced gin you’re contributing to a large organisation rather than a small one.
You can taste the passion
A lot of love and passion goes into creating our gins. Many craft distillers don’t do it for the money, but to create something fantastic and contribute to the ever-expanding world of craft spirits.
Of course, there are still certain qualities that craft gins must adhere to in order to be considered gin; for example, the primary botanical used must be juniper and many distillers will keep to a tried and tested style. The London dry gin recipe is a very common base, for example.
But whatever the base, craft gin distillers bring something truly new and exciting to their spirits, informed and inspired by the passion we have for the craft and our flavours.
Come and try our premium Scottish gin
If you’re looking for a great gin gift, or you just fancy giving our craft gins a try, a tasting experience is for you. Come and visit us at our stunning premises in the Highlands, where one of our gin experts will take you through how we make our gin and lead you through a wonderful tasting of our products.
We’re proud to be part of a new wave of gin distillers, and fuse traditional practices with a truly modern twist. Please don’t hesitate to visit us any time, or take a look at our online shop to try some of our award-winning hand crafted gins.
Contact us on 01479 816362 for more information.
