Gin has been distilled on the famous whisky island of Islay for the first time.

Privately owned Bruichladdich distillery, renowned for its Islay single malts, has produced a gin flavoured by an unprecedented 31 different botanicals (including a rare subspecies of juniper) with twenty two of the botanicals harvested from the wilds of the Hebridean island itself.

Jim McEwan, master distiller said: “Our aim was to produce a genuine artisanal Islay gin - not simply a re-badged, centrally-produced spirit. This has genuine Islay provenance, real authenticity - even historical precedence.”

Illicit hebridean distillers frequently used local botanicals such as bog myrtle and juniper to improve the taste of poorly distilled whisky.  A 17th century recipe for ‘usquebaugh’ includes several botanicals used in the Islay gin.

The first release of 2,500 cases (6/1) will be bottled at Bruichladdich at 46% without chill-filtration, with Islay spring water, and will be available from the end of September. RRP £28.

The gin - distilled according to the regulations for London Dry Gin - is one for ‘real gin-lovers’. Juniper and citrus notes are at the fore but there is a whole lot more going on – as you’d expect from this amazing botanical mix. We await with interest to see the bottle design for this rather special new gin.