What did you do before creating Wolfcraig Gin? I have been in the distilling industry for over 50 years, mainly in whisky distilling (Malt and Grain). However I did spend 5 years in London creating and distilling Tanqueray, Gordons and Booths during the 1980s. What made you decide to create Wolfcraig Gin? We had the idea to create a London Dry style of gin, similar to a number of formulae that I was familiar with, but making it much more unique by introducing a selection of Scottish botanicals.
What is the meaning and story behind the Wolfcraig Gin brand name? The Wolfcraig Legend is a tale in Scottish folklore that inspired our brand with notions of courage, passion and unity at the heart of the story. The legend tells of norse invaders that crept through the cover of a dark wintery night, intent on ambushing a Celtic garrison. The eerie silence was broken by one stumbling Norseman that trod on the paw of a sleeping wolf cub, who awoke startled, and began to howl. The raucous howling of the wolf pack filled the night's sky and alerted the garrison to the threat. A bloody battle ensued, which saw the Celts succeed in slaughtering the Nordic invaders. Since then, the wolf has long been considered a protector in Scottish folklore and that particular battlefield is known as "Wolfcraig". Can you tell us more about the distillation process used when making Wolfcraig Gin? I am a real traditionalist at heart and insisted on utilising a pot still more in the style of what would be used to distill malt whisky, but also incorporating a vapour basket in the lye pipe. From my experience and understanding of a number of botanicals, I wanted to incorporate both the infusion and vapour basket processes. We select and separate our botanicals into two infusion bags and after warming the neutral grain ethyl alcohol, we infuse both of these bags for 12 hours in the still. Before applying heat to the still we remove one of the bags containing the botanicals that we had already identified would contribute nothing more to the process and discard. The other infusion bag is retained in the still for the distillation process, while simultaneously we then charge the vapour basket with our careful selection of Scottish botanicals, secure the pot still and apply heat to begin the gentle distillation process.
What are your favourite ways to serve Wolfcraig Gin?
My personal favourite way is with ice, Tonic Water, and a slice of ruby red grapefruit. Desert Island Gins: Which 3 gins would you take with you and why?
What is your ambition for the Wolfcraig Gin brand in the years to come? Our ambition is for Wolfcraig Gin to become globally known as one of the best gins in the world. Being a traditionally distilled gin from two of the finest gin connoisseurs in Scotland, that is the recognition it deserves. You Might Also Like...
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