A closer look at our signature botanicals
With both the North York Moors and the coast on our doorstep, we are lucky enough to live in a place of unrivalled natural beauty. The stark contrast between land and sea has been our greatest source of inspiration; from the botanicals we use to flavour Whitby Gin to the packaging and design.
Land and sea provide us with the key ingredients which we believe make Whitby Gin stand out from the crowd: honey, heather and sugar kelp. Hand foraged, they add so much more to each bottle than flavour alone.
Honey has played an important part in the human diet for thousands of years; an 8000-year-old cave painting found in Spain is the oldest record of bee-keeping. This liquid gold, now drizzled on porridge or stirred into tea, was once used as a gift to God, perhaps they believed its sticky sweetness was enough to forgive even the gravest of sins.
From soothing sore throats to fighting infection, the medicinal use of honey is widely accepted and although we can’t claim Whitby Gin has such healing properties, honey contributes a richness and subtle depth of flavour. On distilling, honey keeps its delicious sweetness, perfectly complimenting the floral notes of the heather. An award-winning combination.
The heather strew North Yorks Moors are a sight to behold. Mysterious and enchanting, the moors are exposed to strong winds and relentless rain; it takes a resilient plant to thrive in such hostile conditions. Heather, with its thin leaves to prevent excessive water loss in high winds, is perfectly suited to this harsh environment. Safety in numbers is another survival tactic; heather plants grow closes together to help it survive in strong winds. So, what does this robust purple plant add to Whitby Gin? Heather is responsible for the subtle floral scent and balances out the sweetness by adding earthy and herb-like notes.
Hidden in rocky seabeds, Saccharina latissima or, as it is more commonly known, sugar kelp, is our final signature botanical. We regularly head down to the rock pools in search of this fantastic natural ingredient. A brown algae with long blades, sugar kelp may not be pretty but what it lacks in appearance it more than makes up for in flavour. Take a sip of our Whitby Gin and you will instantly taste an enhanced sweet and refreshing kick from the sugar kelp.
Gathering the gifts given to us by land and sea makes us feel incredibly proud of the place we call home. We’re confident that with each bottle of Whitby Gin produced we do this incredible landscape justice.
Whitby Gin: where land meets sea.
