World’s first gin made with Scottish tea to launch this summer
The world’s first gin to be distilled with Scottish tea, a limited edition gin from The Teasmith, made using the leaves of tea plants grown in Scotland, is set to launch this summer.
The Teasmith Grower’s Edition, Broich Single Estate Gin has been created by Aberdeenshire husband and wife team Nick and Emma Smalley, following the great success of their original award-winning product that launched in 2016.
The exclusive batch will consist of just 1,000 bottles, and gin-lovers can pre-order their bottle now.
The gin has been distilled with Broich tea leaves to create delicate notes of honey and apple. These leaves are handpicked from tea plants grown at Broich tea garden on the banks of the River Earn in Crieff, Perthshire, by a grower in the Tea Gardens of Scotland group.
The Teasmith team has confirmed that more limited Grower’s Edition batches are planned for the coming months, using other teas produced by Scottish growers in other parts of the country.
The original Teasmith Gin is distilled with handpicked black loose-leaf Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka.
Nick Smalley said: “Ever since we created The Teasmith Gin in 2016, we’ve wanted to develop a gin product which features Scottish tea, but we’ve struggled to find a supplier due to low production levels in Scotland caused by difficult growing conditions.
“The work of Tea Gardens of Scotland is really innovative and exciting for us. We’re pleased to get access to the first batch of tea made in The Scottish Tea Factory, allowing us to create this truly unique and special gin.”
Despite the harsh climate, compared to other tea growing regions in the world, Tea Gardens of Scotland have propagated thousands of tea seedlings over the past four years. Some of these have been planted at Broich tea garden, helping to create the tea used in The Teasmith Grower’s Edition, Broich Single Estate Gin.
Broich is the first tea to be produced by The Scottish Tea Factory in Perthshire, established by tea consultant Beverly Wainwright who helped Emma and Nick select the rare Ceylon tea featured in their original gin.
The tea leaves are distilled with juniper, coriander seeds and orange peel that feature in the original Teasmith recipe and are combined with lemongrass, fresh apples, local honey, almonds and cinnamon.
The Smalley’s believe this carefully considered blend gives The Grower’s Edition, Broich Single Estate Gin a citrus freshness and honey-sweet finish, resulting in a richer and more complex taste profile than the original product.
The recommended serve for The Grower’s Edition, Broich Single Estate Gin is a slice of apple and premium tonic.
Emma Smalley said: “The Broich tea has reacted completely differently to the Ceylon tea used in our original recipe and gives an aroma of honey and apples which makes for an exceptionally pleasant gin.
“We’re really pleased to bring this limited-edition product to market and hope to continue our relationship with The Scottish Tea Factory to explore more flavour combinations and possibilities using the finest tea to be made in Scotland.”
The Teasmith Grower’s Edition, Broich Single Estate Gin will be available to buy online, priced at £35 for a 50cl bottle or £59.50 for a collectable Distiller’s Flush edition, as well as at selected retailers including Aberdeen Whisky Shop and Inverurie Whisky Shop.
For more information and to find out where you can buy The Teasmith Gin please visit: www.teasmithgin.com
