Rock Rose gin brings together seasonal flavours with the best spirits possible, wrapped up in a green initiative that combines ceramic bottles and reusable refills.
Dunnet Bay Distillery, the home of Rock Rose Gin, was established in 2014 in the small town of Dunnet in the north of Scotland. Founders Claire and Martin Murray had a dream of building a business creating their favourite spirit in their hometown, and thanks to a change in the law in 2009 which allowed small-batch distilling for commercial purposes, they have been able to make that into a reality.
The Murray’s wanted to ensure that they created the best spirits possible, so they worked with the still makers, John Dore and Co., who have been in the business since around 1835, to create the stills which are unique to Dunnet Bay Distillery. The two 500-litre stills, named Elizabeth and Margaret, each incorporate a traditionally made copper head and botanical vapour basket to create the flavours within the spirits.
Alongside the staple original editions and signature editions, Dunnet Bay Distillery also creates seasonal flavours and special editions. The latest release is the Rock Rose Gin Autumn Edition. This edition builds on the traditional Rock Rose flavours delivered by the botanicals and adds a touch of autumn with locally harvested blackberries, raspberries and blaeberries. The ingredients used to flavour Rock Rose Autumn Edition are grown in and around Caithness, Dunnet Bay Distillery’s home county. The nasturtium flowers and Vietnamese coriander are grown and harvested from the onsite biodome by the head gardener, Dr Hanna.
The Rock Rose Autumn Edition: Tasting Notes
The fruits are evident from the off as they gracefully hit the nose, and then mellow on the palette as the spicey elements come through and blend with the fruit to give a wonderful, round flavour.
The usual botanicals are complemented by the addition of peppery nasturtium flowers and Vietnamese coriander, with the latter lingering on the palette, giving a delightfully warming feel as the berry notes fade away.
Bottled at 41.5%, it’s a perfect base for a warming cocktail or a straight evening drink.
Dunnet Bay Distillery Green Initiative
As customers become more focused on the environment and recycling of waste, Dunnet Bay Distillery launched a green initiative to help reduce not only the amount of waste hitting landfills but also the environmental costs relating to shipping.
When you order your chosen spirit, you can receive it either in a ceramic bottle or in a recyclable pouch. If you opt for the pouch, once that’s empty, you can just pop it into the postbox, and it will be returned to the distillery for reuse. There’s no effort involved, as there’s a Freepost address printed on the reverse that will get the pouch to the distillery at no cost to the consumer.
By choosing the pouch over the ceramic bottle, you’re saving energy from the get-go. Dunnet Bay Distillery say that it takes less energy to produce the materials to make the pouches than for the ceramic bottles, and the energy used in shipping them is also greatly reduced.
A full bottle has a weight in the region of 1,500 grams, while a pouch is less than half that, at about 700 grams. It’s a scheme that has proved popular with customers, with so far, around half of the gin sales being supplied in the recyclable pouch.
A Sustainable Subscription Service
Dunnet Bay Distillery also offers the Refill Rewards Club, offering a sustainable way to regularly enjoy the products. You’re in control of things, deciding how often you want to receive them, and which spirit you’d like in that delivery. Your gin arrives in Dunnet Bay Distillers’ unique, recyclable pouches, plus you’ll receive a host of extra treats every time your hamper arrives. Subscriptions are £30 a time
, with free delivery.
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