Botanist gin targets foraging fiends

The Botanist, the first gin to be made on the Scottish island of Islay, is targeting bartenders with a penchant for foraging in a new on-trade initiative.

Made at the Bruichladdich Scotch distillery from nine botanicals and 22 herbs and flowers foraged from the island, the brand is encouraging bartenters to do the same and create a foraged cocktail featuring The Botanist.

To help them in their plight, bars that participate in the competition will be given a Botanist infuser for a month from which to create syrups and tinctures from locally foraged ingredients to be used in their cocktails.

The foraged cocktails will be judged in December by a panel including a forager, chef, mixologist and The Botanist brand ambassador Abigail Clephane.

“We’re excited about engaging with bartenders who share our passion for discovery and exploration. We can’t wait to see the journey unfold,” she said.

The mixologist behind the winning cocktail will be allowed to keep the infuser and taken to Islay to help forage for the herbs and flowers that go into the gin.

“Foraging is often used in haute cuisine, but not as widely in mixology. With foraging quite literally at the heart of The Botanist, we’re always encouraging experimentation for new flavours,” said Rémy Cointreau UK marketing manager Jenia Matthews.