Scottish super-premium vodka released

A super-premium Scottish potato vodka has been launched by Arbikie, Scotland’s newest “farm-to-bottle” distillery.

Iain, John and David Stirling at Arbikie Distillery (Photo: Arbikie)

Arbikie Vodka is the initial spirit to be produced at the new distillery, with whisky and gin to follow early in 2015.

It is the first distillery in Scotland to produce both white and brown spirits that will grow all its own ingredients, ferment, distill, bottle, label and mature on site.

Unlike the majority of vodka, which is made with wheat, the Arbikie brand is distilled from potatoes, giving it a distinctive flavour, as well as making it gluten free. It is created using clear Scottish water and a blend of three distinct potatoes: Maris Piper, King Edwards and Cultra.

The distillery is reviving the traditions of an industry which took place on the site back in the 18th century. It uses copper pot stills to bring the art of Scotch whisky distilling to the production of all its spirits in the hope of giving Arbikie Vodka a comparable quality and depth to Scotch.

Aimed at the high-end market, Arbikie Vodka is made to enjoy simply with ice or as part of a classic cocktail. It retails at £42 per bottle and is available UK-wide through major retail outlets distributed by Gordon and MacPhail.

Arbikie Distillery is part of the Arbikie Highland Estate, owned by the Stirling family who have been farming there for four generations. The single estate distillery, overlooking Lunan Bay on the Angus coast, grows the raw ingredients, distills and bottles its spirits on site.

On the launch, Iain Stirling, Arbikie commercial director, said: “Scotland is a small country but with a world class drinks industry. We saw a real opportunity to utilise Scotland’s acclaimed natural assets from its clear waters, rich crops and temperamental climate, alongside its renowned whisky heritage, to produce a new generation of exceptional quality spirits.

“As a family business, it is wonderful to have the freedom to be innovative. We believe that drinking should be no different than the way we eat, goodness from the ground up, from the farm to bottle. We have embraced the French concept of ‘terroir’, which describes how the natural elements of a place determine the characteristics of wine, to create exceptional spirits.”

This product follows the recent birth of the Ballindalloch Distillery – what is reportedly Scotland’s first “single estate” Scotch maker, where all processes and people involved in the making of its whisky are from or very near to the historic estate.