Rock Rose

£33.82 £42.21 Quantity:

Dunnet Bay Distillery was established in 2012 by husband and wife team, Martin and Claire Murray, along with their trusty four legged companion George. Setting up in their hometown of Caithness - Dunnet Bay is one of Britain’s most northerly mainland distilleries. While situated in a beautiful region, the distillery’s location also meant the added complication to their build, with the delivery of their still arriving some months overdue! As always however – good things come to those who wait…

Rock Rose Gin -

To create Rock Rose Gin, the couple use 18 botanicals, of which 5 are grown locally. The name itself comes from one of the local botanicals they forage - the “Rhodiola rosea” (rose root) which grows on the cliffs of Pentland Firth.

On the nose, Rock Rose has a delicate bouquet of rose, mixed with deeper cardamom and a touch of citrus fused into a mouthwatering mix. Tasted neat – fruity berries merge with the floral nose to give a full-bodied, rounded gin. Bright, slightly sour notes ping as the juniper comes to the fore alongside a warming heat. There’s depth and character a plenty with all the flavours that surround the piney core working in harmony. Crisp citrus, leafy eucoliptic elements, light florals and a resinous underbelly. This is good gin.

It’s smooth to finish too. In a Gin & Tonic, the sharpness of the Sea Buckthorn emerges a little more, but once again is counterbalanced by round berries and a juniper heart. Rock Rose recommend serving it with a rosemary garnish but we tried it with a mint leaf garnish which brought out the freshness. It's been a firm fixture in our cabinet since we came across it and its unique and vibrant nature will appeal to many.

Rock Rose Navy Strength Gin -

The higher ABV actually subdues some of the finer elements of Rock Rose; the sea buckthorn is less sharp, slightly retracting from the locality. That said, it's a fine spirit - smooth to sip, with an increased spiciness. This would work really well in a cocktail that calls for a higher strength gin, like a Gimlet.

Read Gin Foundry's full review here: Rock Rose Gin