What did you do before creating Biggar Gin? We both did quite different things before launching Biggar Gin and building our own distillery. Stuart worked in IT and software development and Euan was a lawyer working in green infrastructure investment. We both keep our skills in these areas warm! What made you decide to create your gin and distillery? We have always enjoyed tasting different food and drinks. Before we started on the path to launch Biggar Gin in 2017 the renaissance in Scottish Gin was underway and we felt that this could be an industry that could be as interesting as Scotch Whisky. We also felt that our local town (Biggar) and surrounding countryside could support a gin bringing its local botanicals and its ethos to the product.  What is the meaning and story behind your brand name? The local town is Biggar, based in the Scottish Southern Upland hills. We often get asked about our greyhound logo and mascot. In 1821 The Biggar Coursing Club was founded for ‘proprietors and resident gentlemen’ and they sent their greyhounds off racing across the fields of Biggar. By 1868 the club was in decline, so the remaining members changed it from a coursing club to a social club and their subscription fees were used to purchase fine wines and spirits. To store them they rented the cellar of the Biggar Corn Exchange where there was room for sixty dozen bottles. An early twentieth century magazine noted that ‘...if the taste for coursing has become extinct in the district, that for good wine has most certainly not.’ What better way to represent Biggar Gin than remembering this society of connoisseurs who appreciated a truly fine drink. Can you tell us more about your distillery? We love our distillery or 'The Stillhouse' as we call it. It’s a modern building but sympathetic to local architecture. It sits between the Tinto Hills and the River Clyde, not far from Biggar. From the windows we have great views of the Southern Uplands and many of the trees and shrubs we have planted grow our local botanicals (rowan berries, hawthorn, rosehips and nettles). As the distillery is compact we have to be efficient with our use of space, especially as we do our bottling and labelling here as well as distilling. There is still space for the all important tasting table and for us to welcome visitors who want to learn more about Biggar Gin and how we make it.
What types of stills do you use? We have two traditional copper pot stills fired by direct heat that we use to make our spirits and that of others too. Both stills are 100 litres, however we might be upgrading one of them to 200 litres soon. We opted for this set up because of the traditional aspect, and these are the same type of stills that we learned to distil on. Can you tell us more about your distillation process? We take pride in our traditional distillation methods, using two handcrafted Hoga stills—one dedicated to gin production and the other for rum and brandy. All our botanicals, including less common ones like cleavers herb and hawthorn berry, are added directly to the main body of the still, as we don't use vapour infusion for our core products. For our Old Tom Gin, we add a unique touch by sweetening it post-distillation with Belgian Kandy sugar. Each batch of our Original Recipe gin produces around 142 bottles, ensuring an artisanal, small-batch approach. The water we use to cut down our spirits is sourced from a local borehole, meticulously filtered for purity, ensuring every bottle reflects the quality and care we put into our craft. What can visitors experience if they visit the distillery for a tour and tasting? We offer small groups an overview of our process and story along with a private tutored tasting and / or cocktail masterclass, accompanied by some local produce to keep the hunger at bay and soak up the gin. Depending on the time of year and the weather there will also be the opportunity to see our woodlands and help with foraging for botanicals. It’s a small space and so visitors will be right in the thick of it and see an authentic production process up close!
What are your ambitions for Biggar Gin and your distillery in the years to come?
We are also expanding our contract distilling service for hotels/restaurants/corporates looking for their own bespoke gin and continuing to provide a distillation service for other Scottish gin brands – some of whom have even won awards in The Gin Guide Awards! Desert Island Gins: Which 3 gins would you take with you? We are always trying different things. Recently we have been enjoying Hayman’s Old Tom in a Martinez and Herno Old Tom. There’s always a bottle of Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz on the shelf when it is released. What are your favourite ways to drink your gins? With our Original Recipe Gin, Stuart favours a good, crisp, Tonic Water and wedge of orange, while Euan prefers a good Ginger Ale and a slice of lemon. While our Biggar Strength Gin makes a great G&T, Stuart likes to sip it in a classic Negroni with Campari and Cocci Vermouth di Torino, while Euan enjoys it best in a gin Martini made with Cocchi Amerciano vermouth (not too much vermouth though!) When it comes to our Clyde Valley Plum Gin, we both agree that it makes a great Negroni or in a hot mulled gin. What's next for you and Biggar Gin - any exciting plans? We have started producing other spirits along with gin, including rum, apple brandy, ready to drink cocktails and a small selection of liqueurs aimed at the mixology sector. There tends to always be a number of experiments on the go at The Stillhouse and some of these may be released one day soon. Guests on distillery tours are always treated to something that hasn’t yet been released. You Might Also Like...
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