Scotland’s Arbikie Estate has been farmed by the Stirling family since the 1920s, and what an estate it is! Located on the Angus coast between Dundee and Aberdeen, the Arbikie Distillery and Visitor Centre offer stunning views over its fields to beautiful Lunan Bay. Originally operating as a dairy farm, the estate transitioned to growing crops and increased in acreage as it was passed down from father to son. But it was when 4th generation brothers - and current owners - John, Iain and David were looking for ways to diversify the estate in 2010 that the seeds of a field-to-bottle distillery were sown. With all the ingredients needed to make spirits from scratch already growing on the farm, the Arbikie Distillery opened its doors in 2014 when it released Scotland’s first potato vodka - Tattie Bogle - made with the wonky veg rejected by large retailers. With sustainability at the heart of their strategy, everything - from sowing and growing raw materials to harvesting, distilling, maturing and even bottling - takes place on the same 2,000 acre estate, enabling full control and traceability with minimal food miles. Arbikie also grow as many of their botanicals as possible and - conscious of the decline of native juniper as a result of both overgrazing and a destructive fungus - have planted approximately 1,000 juniper plants a year across the estate since they opened. Determined to reduce waste - and their carbon impact - wherever possible, distillation by-products are then returned to Arbikie’s fields as natural fertilisers, fed to their herd of highland cattle or dried and compressed to create beautiful botanical coasters. And, even more impressively, Arbikie has already installed a wind turbine ahead of plans to switch over to zero-carbon green hydrogen power in the coming months, which will make them the first distillery in the world to do so! On arrival at the vast estate you’ll pass through a pair of imposing wrought iron gates, and perhaps catch a glimpse of Arbikie’s handsome hairy coos, before your eyes are drawn to the impressive visitor centre which opened in 2022. A surprisingly large yet warm and welcoming space, the visitor centre is home to a shop and bottle refill station, as well as a wonderful cafe-bar which serves genuinely restaurant quality breakfast and lunch made using locally grown, seasonal produce as well as cracking coffee, cake and cocktails. However, it's the distillery - housed in the former cattle barn next door - where the magic really happens! Overseen by Master Distiller Kirsty Black, and using everything from rye and barley to potatoes and peas, Arbikie make all their base spirits from scratch in the same three stunning copper pot stills. While the new make spirit is cask-aged on site until it matures into whisky, the spirit destined to become vodka or gin continues its journey to a towering 40-plate column still. Having been double distilled, the vodka is then rested prior to bottling. Meanwhile the gin is distilled a third time, with hardy botanicals put in a bag inside the still and more delicate botanicals placed in a vapour basket in the neck of the still. Visitors to the estate can enjoy the food and views without paying for admission, but to truly appreciate one of the world’s most sustainable distilleries it’s well worth joining one of three 60-minute whisky, cocktail or gin and vodka experiences. In addition to visiting their stills and learning how Arbikie make their spirits from scratch, you’ll get a sneak peek at the warehouse before enjoying a tutored tasting of three spirits from their range, which includes Tattie Bogle Potato Vodka, AK’s Gin made from a wheat base and Nàdar; the world’s first climate positive gin and vodka made with peas! Best of all, no one has to be the designated driver as you can now stay on the estate overnight in one of ÖÖD’s three stylish mirror houses. With thick curtains and underfloor heating the surprisingly cosy and comfortable cabins really come into their own when the Scottish weather closes in, and when it’s particularly nippy you can even warm up in your own private wood-fired sauna! AUTHOR & PHOTOGRAPHER: Sarah Miller - drinks writer, judge and founder of Gin A Ding Ding
You Might Also Like...
Comments are closed.
|