The Botanist Islay Dry Gin is created at the Bruichladdich distillery. This superb Islay gin was distilled in the 'ugly betty' still described as "an oversized upside-down dustbin made of copper" by Tom Morton. It has perhaps the best looking packaging we've ever seen for a gin. It's not all style and no substance either. Botanist is a world-class gin set at a proper ABV.
A huge 31 botanicals go into The Botanist, 22 of which are foraged and native to Islay. The full list of botanicals is as follows: angelica root, apple mint, birch leaves, bog myrtle leaves, cassia bark, chamomile, cinnamon bark, coriander seed, creeping thistle flowers, elder flowers, gorse flowers, heather flowers, hawthorn flowers, juniper berries, lady's bedstraw flowers, lemon balm, lemon peel, liquorice root, meadow sweet, orange peel, oris root, peppermint leaves, mugwort leaves, red clover flowers, tansy, thyme leaves, water mint leaves, white clover, wood sage leaves. Phew!
Enough botanicals to make us wish we had five noses. Big notes of citrus, delicate menthol and flowers everywhere!
Cool at first. It quickly mellows out, warmth growing with citrus keeping it fresh throughout.
Long, with a good spice.
Islay isn't just about the whisky anymore. The Botanist Gin is top-notch.


I drink lots of varieties of gin, but I just cant stay away from this one too long, and at this price you cannot complain. I love this gin so much I was married in the Distillery..
No martinis, no water, no extras - only the really enjoyable, complex, rich herbal taste... the best gin I've ever tasted. And yes, the old bottle was definitively more beautiful than the new one, but what can you do about it?
The bottle change was made because a copy cat Gin came on the market, of inferior quality, called "Botanicals" and people were buying the inferior copy by mistake and being disappointed! This is why they re-packaged the wonderful "Botanist".
but, the Gin is the best...
Bartender introduced it to me and poured me some straight over one rock and a twist. Smooth and delicious. It will now be my go to gin for my drink of choice - gin martini straight up.