New Old Tom Gin – Cait Sith launches from Wild Thyme Spirits

We haven’t seen too many new Scottish Gin launches in recent months (for obvious reasons) so we’re super excited to hear of a new Old Tom launching soon!

In June, Wild Thyme Spirits, the Hebridean island distillery behind the multi-award winning Colonsay Gin, is set to launch an Old Tom style gin, called Cait Sith (which is pronounced Caught Shee).

The small-batch gin is an Old Tom-style take on Colonsay Gin, and like its sibling products, takes inspiration from a mixture of Celtic folklore and
the beautiful, natural surroundings of the Isle of Colonsay, where all the brand’s spirits are produced.

We love the history behind Old Tom style gin, which was hugely popular in the 18th century, when London’s drinking scene was driven underground, and mysterious feline figures were displayed around the city and used to draw drinkers in to watering holes and gin establishments. Since then, Old Tom gin and cats have been inextricably linked.

This new gin draws on this feline connection, referencing the deep, dark recesses of Celtic Mythology and the Cait Sith, a legendary spectral cat that roamed the Scottish Highland & Islands.

The fairy-like creature was said to mysteriously bring with it either a blessing or a curse, depending on whether householders left it a suitable libation. The label depicts the beautiful ALVA, the company’s multitalented Gruagach (pronounced groo-ah-gak) a Brownie with supernatural powers, dressed in her finest feline regalia, and expressing her inner Cait Sith.

The team at Wild Thyme Spirits say that their Colonsay Gin – Cait Sith, in true Old Tom style, is drier than a Dutch Genever, but sweeter than a London Dry, and is bottled at 40%ABV. With hints of orange, pink grapefruit and vanilla, it’s best served as a G & T with premium tonic, lots of ice, and a large slice of pink grapefruit. Sounds heavenly to us!

Alternatively, you can try it with lemonade or soda water as a long, cool, summer spritzer.

Wild Thyme Spirits founders, husband and wife team, Fin and Eileen Geekie relocated from Oxfordshire to their new self-built home on the remote island of Colonsay in 2016. Since then, Wild Thyme Spirits has
developed a range of award-winning products and become the go-to destination for gin fans and island visitors alike, offering not only, distillery tours and tastings, but also, luxury weekend breaks
at their Gin Lover’s Retreat.

Tucked away between the better-known islands of Islay and Mull, and nestling close to neighbouring Jura, Colonsay is just under a two-and-a-half-hour ferry journey from Oban on the West Coast of Scotland. The tiny island is quietly renowned for its tranquillity, exquisite sandy beaches, rare flora and fauna and abundance of wildlife. Wild Thyme Spirits has an exclusive
foraging agreement with the Colonsay Estate, owners of the island and the highly acclaimed Colonsay House and gardens. This gives the distillers scope to experiment with a huge array of local botanicals worthy of future products that have an unmistakable Colonsay provenance – their quest
continues.

We’re very excited to try this new offering from the Hebridean distillery, Wild Thyme Spirits and we’ll be sure to let you know what we think. In the meantime Cait Sith is available to pre-order on their website.