Scottish Enterprise Awards 2020

6 | Scottish Enterprise Awards 2020 Nov20057 A Gem of a Gin Beginning its journey back in November 2019, the story of The Cairngorm Gin Company is a relatively short one, but it has been defined by excellence. Starting out in the small highland village of Carrbridge, The Cairngorm Gin Company draws its inspiration from the mountains and the forests of the wild and breath-taking Cairngorm Mountain Range in the Highlands of Scotland. Since it was founded by Jack Smith, the vision of the company has always remained focused on creating a unique and premium spirit in small batches using the finest botanicals including cloudberry, which is native to the Cairngorms. That vision is complemented by the firm’s mission, which is to establish an enduring brand which is recognised for its creativity, quality, and sustainability. The founder of the firm, Jack Smith, was born and raised in the valley of the River Spey, in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. His family has lived and worked in the Cairngorms National Park for decades, and Jack’s father, grandfather, and extended family have all made their living from the hospitality and catering industry. Jack himself has worked alongside leading Michelin-starred chef Martin Wishart in Edinburgh, as well as on the international stage in both New York and Ireland. It was in these roles that Jack developed a passion for sourcing local ingredients to create culinary masterpieces, and that passion paved the way for The Cairngorms Gin Company. Jack returned home in 2019 with an idea to create a premium gin using locally sourced ingredients that truly captured the essence of the stunning Highland environment that he had grown up in. Training with master distiller Lewis Scothern, Jack was then able to create a unique taste using a number of botanicals, and pioneered the use of cloudberry, a native bramble to the Cairngorms, as a key botanical in the distilling process of the brand’s primary gin. Each batch of seventy bottles is distilled in Jack’s hometown of Carrbridge, and each individual bottle is given the same love and care as all of the others. At a time when the sheer scale of the Scottish gin industry is offering a huge library of gins, flavours, strengths, colours, and more, the work of Jack and The Cairngorms Gin Company is second to none in being able to stand out as truly authentic and exceptionally exquisite in taste. That being said, there have been challenges for The Cairngorms Gin Company to get to where it is today. COVID-19 has obviously played an enormous impact on the firm’s growth, especially given the fact that the virus hit whilst the brand was still in its first year in business. As the firm was trying to grow out of its infancy into an established gin player in the industry. Cancellations of all manner of events meant limitations on tastings, but Jack was determined not to give up. Instead, he turned the company virtual and adapted to the various new events that were opportunities to share the gin product. Ultimately, gin flavours are a dime a dozen at this moment in time, but the consumption of properly flavoursome and delicious gin is reserved for only the most discerning of drinkers. For those in search of the best possible gin that captures the essence of the Scottish Highlands, The Cairngorms Gin Company certainly achieves that. Company: Cairngorm Gin Company Ltd Contact: Jack Smith Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 7764 365702 Website: https://cairngormgin.com/ The emergence of gin and its subsequent evolution to become a multiflavoured beverage of choice for so many people has been one of the most outstanding stories within the alcohol industry in recent year. Flavoured gins have become incredibly popular, and there is a huge market for it. In the eastern Highlands of Scotland, near the Cairngorms, there lies the Small-Batch Gin Producer of the Year 2020, the Cairngorm Gin Company. Find out more about this exquisite supplier of the finest gin as we profile the firm’s journey so far. Since it was founded by Jack Smith, the vision of the company has always remained focused on creating a unique and premium spirit in small batches using the finest botanicals including cloudberry, which is native to the Cairngorms. That vision is complemented by the firm’s mission, which is to establish an enduring brand which is recognised for its creativity, quality, and sustainability.