Named after the year the Peebles Hydro was built, 1881 Distillery and Gin School opened in October 2019. Originally a retreat for therapeutic water treatments, built around the Shieldgreen spring, the fresh and mineral rich water was said to be legendary for its therapeutic properties. Over history, a few things have remained unchanged – the rich mineral spring still flows and is used in the gins and tonics produced by the hotel and the hotel is still focused on creating a memorable visitor experience.
With growing demand for local produce including food and drink, the hotel decided to create its own distillery and gin school, influenced by the history of the hotel and local area.
Distilled using 12 botanicals, many grown in the hotel's botanical gardens, and blended with water from the estate’s private private spring, London Dry Hydro Gin pays its respects to the classic London Dry category. Juniper, hawthorn, birch, fir, citrus and other botanicals are carefully distilled to create a memorable gin that’s smooth on the palate and has hints of fresh forest walks on the nose.
Key Botanical(s): Juniper, Hawthorn, Fir Needles
Gin Style: London Dry
Strength: 40% vol
Goes great with: A twist of fresh grapefruit, tonic and ice.
Method: Rectified - Grain Neutral Spirit
Location: 1881 Distillery, Scottish Borders, Scotland
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1881 Distillery was designed and built with the help of Jamie Baxter, distillery designer and renowned distiller in his own right. He worked with resident Distiller Emma Millar to develop the core gin and complementary tonic recipes. There are a number of visitor experiences available at the distillery including tours and a gin school, where visitors can take part in a gin masterclass, picking from an abundance of botanicals and tutored through the distillation process, ultimately creating their own gin.
Tour: Yes
Gin School: Yes
Cafe: Yes
Bar: Yes
Shop: Yes
Booking: Book a visitor experience here
Peebles Hydro, Innerleithen Road, Peebles, Scottish Borders, Scotland, EH45 8LX - View on Google Maps
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Scottish Tonic Water
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