ABOUT THE BOTANIST

22 WILD BOTANICALS

OUR HAND-FORAGED ISLAY BOTANICALS

At the time The Botanist was being created, there just so happened to be two professional botanists living on Islay: Dr Richard and Mrs Mavis Gulliver, who had retired there in the late 1990s. Richard and Mavis searched the island and came back with a list of 33 herbs, leaves and flora that could be sustainably foraged and used to flavour gin. The selection was narroed down to 22 botanicals, which have been included in the recipe for The Botanist ever since.

It was important that all the botanicals selected would be readily available, and not rare or difficult to find. All are prevalent on Islay, and abundant enough to be harvested without any impact on the wild populations, with the exception of Islay juniper. Only a sprig of this is added to each distillation to highlight its plight and our foragers have made considerable efforts to survey and map juniper across many remote areas of the island, uncovering many previously unknown populations. Efforts continue to propagate local juniper to support existing colonies and establish new ones - an important boost to local biodiversity.

Affectionately known as the Queen of the Hebrides, Islay is situated approximately 15 miles off the west coast of Scotland and is the southermost island of the Inner Hebrides.

Greener and gentler than many of her Hebridean sisters, Islay's diverse landscape is unique and exciting; from heather-clad moorland and whispering peat bogs to tranquil wetlands and salty marshes, the island's diverse geology nurtures a wealth of natural wonders. Islay also enjoys a relatively mild climate. A distiller's treasure trove, the island's bounty of flora is rich with tastes and aromas not well used but found here in abundance, providing the inspiration behind The Botanist.

Since our resurrection in 2001, our mission has been to reconnect people, planet and spirits as a force for good and to be more sustainable in all that we do. We want to fulfil a purpose that is bigger than our business and that benefits our wider community.

In 2020, we were the first Scotch whisky and gin distillery in Europe to receive B Corp certification - meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance. The B Corp movement was established to help mission-driven businesses to protect and improve their positive impact over time, and we're proud to be part of this growing, global community of organisations using their business as a force for good.

Find out more

THE ISLAND OF ISLAY

Affectionately known as the Queen of the Hebrides, Islay is situated approximately 15 miles off the west coast of Scotland and is the southermost island of the Inner Hebrides.

Greener and gentler than many of her Hebridean sisters, Islay's diverse landscape is unique and exciting; from heather-clad moorland and whispering peat bogs to tranquil wetlands and salty marshes, the island's diverse geology nurtures a wealth of natural wonders. Islay also enjoys a relatively mild climate. A distiller's treasure trove, the island's bounty of flora is rich with tastes and aromas not well used but found here in abundance, providing the inspiration behind The Botanist.

B CORP CERTIFICATION

Since our resurrection in 2001, our mission has been to reconnect people, planet and spirits as a force for good and to be more sustainable in all that we do. We want to fulfil a purpose that is bigger than our business and that benefits our wider community.

In 2020, we were the first Scotch whisky and gin distillery in Europe to receive B Corp certification - meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance. The B Corp movement was established to help mission-driven businesses to protect and improve their positive impact over time, and we're proud to be part of this growing, global community of organisations using their business as a force for good.

Find out more

OUR SPIRIT

Launched in 2011, The Botanist was the first ever gin to be created on Islay. Distilled in our unique Lomond Still - affectionately named 'Ugly Betty' - we use 22 wild botanicals that are hand-foraged from the hills, coastline and fields of this fertile Hebridean island. These are complemented by 9 classic gin botanicals.

OUR MINDSET

Ever since The Botanist was first created, we've always had a resourceful mindset. Being located on an island off the west coast of Scotland calls for improvisation and making do with what's available - with skill, dedication and passion. We carefully selected the best botanicals our beautiful home has to offer and look after the land to ensure we're always leaving things in a better condition than in which we found them.

OUR SPIRIT

OUR SPIRIT

Launched in 2011, The Botanist was the first ever gin to be created on Islay. Distilled in our unique Lomond Still - affectionately named 'Ugly Betty' - we use 22 wild botanicals that are hand-foraged from the hills, coastline and fields of this fertile Hebridean island. These are complemented by 9 classic gin botanicals.

OUR MINDSET

OUR MINDSET

Ever since The Botanist was first created, we've always had a resourceful mindset. Being located on an island off the west coast of Scotland calls for improvisation and making do with what's available - with skill, dedication and passion. We carefully selected the best botanicals our beautiful home has to offer and look after the land to ensure we're always leaving things in a better condition than in which we found them.