Tulchan Gin, 45% ABV, is a London Dry gin with a flavour profile based on the flora and fauna of the Speyside region it comes from. Speyside may be better known for its whisky production, but the countryside also lends itself to foraging botanicals for gin making.
Inspired by Speyside
The Estate, in Speyside near Grantown-on-Spey on the banks of the River Spey, is surrounded by incredible views of lochs, moors and glens. The 22,000-acre Tulchan Estate is mainly a sporting ground, but it comes with fine dining, spa facilities and stunning accommodation options.
The Tulchan Gin bottle design gets its inspiration from the River Spey, which is considered to be the finest river in Scotland. It is the fastest-flowing and second-longest river in the country, making it ideal for salmon fishing. I have taken long walks along the river, very close to the Tulchan Estate, and it is no wonder they are feeling inspired by the dark blue, yet sparkling, colour of the Spey.
The bottle also has an embossed tartan feature on the side and the same piper from the Tulchan Estate can be found on the label to highlight the provenance they are so proud of.
Botanicals
The botanical list for Tulchan Gin is quite interesting. Some of the Scottish botanicals give you the idea of a fruity or fragrant gin, yet there is also a more citrusy and spiced edge to it. Botanicals such as sloe berries, elderflower and blackberry leaves represent the surrounding landscape. Chamomile flower also adds to the fragrant flavour profile.
The citrusy notes come from sweet orange peel, lemon peel, lemongrass and coriander. There’s also a little surprise botanical – asparagus! It brings earthiness and nuttiness, which are nicely balanced by spices such as angelica root, orris root and liquorice.
This is more of a lighter style of London Dry. The juniper shines on the nose but on the palate, it is not as strong as you might expect a London Dry to be. However, the flavour profile is nicely balanced. It is sweet and fruity followed by citrus and spices, doing a full circle with a fruity finish.
You can purchase Tulchan Gin from Master of Malt.
Recipes with Tulchan Gin
I wanted to feature the gin in a few classic serves to match the traditional feel of the brand. These are great, easy-to-mix recipes to enjoy before you reach for that Speyside dram.
Tulchan G&T
40ml Tulchan Gin
Dry tonic water (I used Dr. Polidori. Also, their grape tonic worked well.)
Fill your glass with ice, measure in the gin and add your preferred amount of tonic water. I like drier tonics, but you could easily use a nice flavoured one with this as well. Garnish with a few juniper berries or mango peel to bring out those piney notes or a slice of pink grapefruit for freshness.
Elderflower Martini
50ml Tulchan Gin
10ml Dry Vermouth
Lemon peel
Stir all ingredients with ice and double strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
For more Martini variations, see my previous article Martini Manual.
Chartreuse Daisy
There are many classic cocktails that work as inspiration for various twists. This cocktail is based on both the Daisy and the Yellowjacket.
50ml Tulchan Gin
15ml Yellow Chartreuse
10ml Fresh lemon juice
1 barspoon of syrup from Maraschino cherries (I used The Starlino Cherries)
Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.
Blackberry Sour
Tulchan Gin lends itself to many sour variations. Replace the blackcurrant syrup with anything from cranberries to elderflower. I used Monin syrup, but you could easily make yours at home.
50ml Tulchan Gin
15ml Fresh Lemon juice
Egg white, optional
Berries for garnish
Shake all ingredients with ice and double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with berries. If you you’re using the egg white, dry shake before adding ice and shaking again. You can also serve this over ice.
Have you tried Tulchan Gin? What did you think of it?
Disclaimer: This blog post was sponsored by Tulchan Gin. Some of the links used are affiliate links. If you buy through the links, I may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price for you.
