Episode 31 - Ian Stirling from The Port Of Leith Distillery

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Welcome

Hello and Welcome to Episode 31

Christmas

The news is going to be short this weekIf you celebrate I hope you have a very merry Christmas and happy new year.I know 2020 has been difficult. Really hope that 2021 is going to be much better.Really look forward to joining you next year

Review

Reviews really help the podcast in a given podcast directory. So if you did have a chance to review the podcast I would be most grateful
Weekly Gin RecommendationThe Gower Gin Company Pinwydd GinThere are a few distilleries where I am a real fanboy. The Gower Gin Company is one of those distilleries.I have spoken about it before but Sian and Andrew are botanical wizards. The way they mix the botanicals together is sublime and each taste is like paradise on your palette.Each of their gins is very distinctive but so well balanced. Pinwydd is no exception.The nose of the gin has the subtle aroma of orange and pink peppercorns.Upon taking it neat you get a dryness initially, followed by a sweet taste which meanders into orange and cranberry hitting you palette finally tapering off with the peppercorns.I tried it with Fevertree Mediterranean Tonic and it made a very pleasant G&T with a really subtle orange and peppercorn taste.I think you could easily pair this with most tonics although I would avoid ones which are very strong in flavour.I would definitely like to try this in a dry martini and I can see this working really well with many type of cocktails such as Negroni.This really is a gorgeous gin and I would strongly recommend trying the six pack offered by The Gower Gin. This will hopefully give you an idea which one to pick or you could be like me and you don’t know which one to choose.This definitely deserves to be added to my list of gin wants and will hopefully appear on my gin shelf very soon.Ian Stirling from The Port Of Leith Distillery

Initial Work

Worked in wine trade for Majestic and then RobersonsGot to travel but eventually decided that wanted to produce rather than distribute a productDecided that although knew wine wanted something that could produce from Scotland and so decided on Whiskey

Where did it start ?

Shared flat with other co-owner PaddyShared Whiskey between the two of them and went on tasting and then got a little stillNo single malt distillery in EdinburghHaving lunch with client from China and they agreed to fund setting up the distillerySo far in the whiskey distillery they have poured the concrete for the ground floor.About 15 months away from completion of the distillery

Started big in the gin distillery

For Whiskey distillery have to start bigFor gin can start small but started bigger than a lot producersInvest in a unitUse organic neutral grain spirit from Switzerland

Structured Approach

Challenge to produce gin because much larger volumes than expected5 days processOn Monday charge the still and put in six of seven botanicals with the organic neutral grain spirit to macerate. The Limes are left out and peeledOn Tuesday and turn on still. Distillation day 10 or 11 hours and by end distillate is 60% and dilute down to bottling strength of 44%.Let settle for a day or twoBottle on Friday normally.Hand label each oneChanged a bit because quite often doing 2 - 3 runs per week

Setup of gin house

Hooked up with James Porteous at Electric Spirit Co to help design the ginThey already produce a gin called AchroousSplit rent and share stillReason for 500 litre still

Lind & Lime Brand

Benchmark London Dry GinSpace for simple gin but do it very wellJuniper should be front and centre but have citrus as wellHeritage element of Port Of Leith as distribution point for cognac and wineIan is exceedingly proud of where the business is nowGreat labour of love and took 18 lonely months to get out to the marketplace

Lind & Lime Gin

Clear idea of what to create very early on for recipe developmentLimited to 7 botanicalsWorked with James from Electric Spirit Co to develop recipeWanted to make sure that all botanical balanced outWhen developing the recipe needed something to balance the lime and so add pink peppercorns.Tied back to Edinburgh and James Lind who was responsible for solving the issue of scurvy in the navy and was known for the first clinical trialsAlso link back to Roses Lime CordialWhen it is neat get the juniper and pepper. Lime taste not so much because bound up with alcoholThe moment you add anything else such as tonic releases the lime

Bottle

The bottle is very differentLiked burgundy bottle shape and thought would be cheap. Unfortunately produce it in 75cl but not 70cl which required for spiritsEventually decided that had to make bottleAdded ribs down the bottle and liked green / blue glassLuckily green / blue glass was cheaperTook 18 monthsFound company in ItalyGot 3D model first and then finally sample bottleAt the bottom of bottle had Leith Glass Works edged on the base of the bottle tribute to industry which was massive in LeithLots of customers re-using bottle for lights, home made Sloe Gin or olive

Where next ?

Keep Lind & Lime pure so will not be adding any extra flavoursPlans to do miniatures and magnumsAlso looking to do ready made G&TDistributing to 8 countries at the moment, expecting to be in 14 markets by the end of 2020. In 2021 will expand to 20.The more countries export gin to the better because eventually will use these links to distribute the WhiskeyWon best London Dry and The Scottish Gin Awards 2020.

Contact

WebsiteTwitterInstagramFacebook

What is your favourite gin other than your own and how would serve it ?

Achroous ginJames at Electric Spirit Co makes a gin with Sichuan pepperServe as G&T

What does gin mean to you ?

The End of DayAlcoholic gin when want to be refreshedHolidays / RelaxationReminds of late father who liked gin. He would always review gin with his children on holiday.Sadly passed away before able to have a Lind & Lime Gin

Instagram Community Shout Out@nikkimendesukI really started following Nikki from very early on when I started on Instagram.The think I love about her account is how her engagement makes you feel. She is really good at showing through her posts and stories what is happening next in her journey.I loved her recent post of port, gin and ginger ale altogether. Love the addition of the grated nutmegLove the post about the cocktail Autumn Vibes. Really like the sound of this orange, lemon, gin, simple syrup and egg white.I really liked the post she did on the distilling course she did with Jamie Baxter. It was very different to the corporate path at Tesco that she worked on for 23 years.I also was so proud of the post when she had actually launched her gin.Finally I really loved the picture of her in a poppy field on International Gin & Tonic DayI also keep and eye on Nikki’s stories and I love it when she does her pieces to camera.It is always so fun being kept updated.Keep it up.I will be adding you to my stories all week..

Get In ContactIM me at @ginignite Instagram or @ginignite on TwitterE-Mail me at gin.gossip@ginignite.comIf you have ideas IM me or e-mail at podcast.ideas@ginignite.comIf you want to be on the show then IM me or e-mail me at podcast.star@ginignite.com
Final ThoughtThe thing that I like about the gin community that I have met so far is that no one judges anyone for what they believe, what they look like or who they choose to be.The world would be a better place if everyone took that view.Grab your drink, toast those you love, enjoy your weekend and whether your decide to party or stay in I will be with you in spirit !!!Seriously though enjoy your weekend and I look forward to joining you for another episode next Friday.Cheers