The Botanist Distiller’s Strength
The Botanist Distiller’s Strength is the new expression from Bruichladdich’s The Botanist, one of the first of the modern range of award-winning Scottish gins.
I’ve a soft spot for The Botanist, as it was the first modern Scottish gin I tasted, many years ago, long before Scottish gin was a thing. A few years ago I got the chance to visit the Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay, where The Botanist is made, and learn first-hand (in very wet conditions) how the gin’s botanicals are foraged locally. You can read about it on The Alcohol Professor.
The Botanist Distiller’s Strength
It’s really exciting, therefore, to hear that July 2025 sees the release of a brand new expression from The Botanist, The Botanist Distiller’s Strength. The main distinction is, of course, that it is a stronger gin, being 50% ABV (100 proof), and the gin equivalent of a cask strength whisky.
This new expression maintains the original Botanist’s 22 signature botanicals, but according to the distillery the extra strength brings a more intense flavour and a rich viscosity, creating a better mouth-feel with which to enjoy it. It will also add an extra something to gin-forward cocktails, like the Negroni. And I for one can’t wait to taste or make a Negroni with this extra-strength gin.
Adam Hannett, Head Distiller at Bruichladdich, said: “We’ve experimented with a blend of The Botanist’s signature 22 botanicals at a new strength of 50% ABV. I was inspired by Bruichladdich Distillery’s long–practiced art of bottling whisky at 50% ABV and at this strength, flavourful oils from distillation are enhanced, the viscosity is richer and it’s this richness that carries the flavours of the spirit.”
Buying The Botanist Distiller’s Strength
The Botanist Distiller’s Strength is available at £39.25 at The Whisky Exchange, £39.95 at Master of Malt and £39.00 at Hedonism.
A Brief History of Bruichladdich
Bruichladdich Distillery, located on Islay’s Rhinns, was built in 1881 by the Harvey brothers. Designed as a state-of-the-art facility, it featured tall, narrow-necked stills to produce a pure, unpeated spirit, contrasting with other Islay whiskies of the time.
After various ownership changes and periods of mothballing, including a significant closure from 1994, Bruichladdich was dramatically revived in 2000 by a group of private investors led by Mark Reynier and Jim McEwan. They championed a philosophy of “Progressive Hebridean Distillers,” focusing on artisanal methods, Scottish-grown barley (including Islay barley), and transparency. This era saw the introduction of heavily peated Port Charlotte and super-heavily peated Octomore expressions, alongside their unpeated Bruichladdich range, and the launch of The Botanist gin.
In 2012, Rémy Cointreau acquired the distillery, but Bruichladdich has maintained its commitment to quality, experimentation, and its strong connection to Islay, including on-island maturation and bottling.
A Brief History of The Botanist
The Botanist gin emerged from Bruichladdich Distillery’s “Progressive Hebridean Distillers” philosophy. The Botanist’s first distillation was in 2010 and it was the brainchild of then-Master Distiller Jim McEwan, who envisioned a gin that captured the essence of Islay’s natural environment.
Rejecting standard gin production, McEwan, with the help of two local botanists, Dr. Richard and Mavis Gulliver, meticulously explored Islay’s flora. They ultimately selected 22 hand-foraged local botanicals, including unique Islay juniper, to complement nine classic gin botanicals.
The gin is slow-distilled in a rare Lomond still, affectionately nicknamed “Ugly Betty,” allowing the delicate botanical flavors to be carefully extracted. This unique approach, combined with Bruichladdich’s commitment to terroir and Islay’s natural resources, has made The Botanist a globally recognized and award-winning gin, celebrated for its complex, floral character.
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