Master whisky blenders Richard Paterson and Ian MacMillan have joined forces to produce Wolfcraig Gin, the inaugural gin from Wolfcraig Distillers.
Richard Paterson is known as ‘The Nose’ on account of an illustrious 50-year career within the whisky industry. As well as being inducted into the Whisky Hall of Fame, he was named an OBE on the Queen’s Honour List in 2021.
An award-winning distiller with over 40 years’ experience, Ian MacMillan has created single malts for the likes of Bunnahabhain, Tobermory and Deanston. He also has gins such as Tanqueray and Gordons on his CV.
After judging together on a number of gin awards panels, the pair have now poured their decades of experience into creating their own original premium gin.
They spent several years developing the perfect flavour profile, using the ‘most authentic’ method of gin creation – where all the botanicals are combined and distilled in a copper still rather than added in afterwards.
The result is a “complex and sophisticated” premium Scottish spirit with notes of juniper, orange peel, vibrant lemon and cassia, infused with 17 botanicals including raspberry and wild Scottish thyme.
Ian MacMillan commented: “I’m known as a bit of a traditionalist and this is a true pot still distilled premium gin, created by observing the time-honoured methods – this is a unique formulation of botanicals which complement each other in a way that can only be achieved through this most authentic method.
“It was important to Richard and I that our first gin collaboration was high quality but versatile so it could be enjoyed by everyone from seasoned gin drinkers to casual consumers.”
Priced at £39.95, Wolfcraig Gin (ABV 44.5%) comes in a bespoke bottle is designed to reflect wolf’s fur. It is available from the Wolfcraig Distillers website.
