Distilling

All three distilleries start with a neutral grain spirit, usually wheat-based. It carries no flavour of its own yet. Only the botanicals, and the method used to infuse the alcohol with them, give the gin its distinct character.

Bruichladdich simmers its nine core ingredients directly in the still. The 22 wild Islay botanicals, meanwhile, hang in a basket along the vapour path, releasing their aromas gently as steam passes through. The Lomond still 'Ugly Betty' works extremely slowly, taking around 17 hours per run. The method is known as one-shot distilling: there's no concentrate diluted later.

On Harris, distillation takes place in a copper still fitted with a vapour basket. The nine base botanicals infuse as vapour passes through the basket. According to the distillery, the delicate sugar kelp is treated separately so it doesn't impart bitter, overly green notes into the distillate.

Balmenach relies on its Copper Berry Chamber. Rather than boiling in alcohol, the spirit vapour rises through four stacked copper chambers holding rowan berry, dandelion, bog myrtle, heather, and apple. The vapour absorbs the aromas as it passes through, a gentler method than directly simmering the botanicals.

When cut to drinking strength, the three gins land at deliberately different points. The Botanist comes in at 46% ABV, Isle of Harris Gin at 45% ABV, and Caorunn at an unusual 41.8% ABV. According to the distillery, that figure comes purely from tasting, not from any round target number.