FIRST JOURNEYS - THE HIGHLANDS TRAIL- PIN 15 OF 22

EDEN MILL,  St Andrews, Scotland


EDEN MILL ST ANDREWS

A JOURNEY EXPLORING THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND

Our next stop takes us to the historic town of St Andrews, where medieval history, coastal landscapes and modern distilling come together on Scotland's east coast.


Founded with the ambition of reviving brewing and distilling in St Andrews after an absence of more than 150 years, Eden Mill quickly became one of Scotland's best-known craft distilleries. Combining traditional copper pot stills with a contemporary approach to flavour, the distillery helped put St Andrews firmly back on Scotland's distilling map.


The gin I've chosen for this stop is the Botanical Project Traditional Batch Gin, originally created as part of a limited-edition collaboration.


This is certainly a gin that divides opinion. Earthy and herbaceous, black pepper comes through prominently before giving way to cooling mint and the distinctive sweet liquorice notes of caraway. If you're not a fan of caraway, this probably won't become a favourite. Personally, I rather enjoy its individuality.


Long before visitors travelled to St Andrews for golf or gin, they came here for a very different reason.




Atlas Note:

This journey was originally written in 2020, when Eden Mill was producing spirits from its distillery at Guardbridge. Since then, the company has entered a new chapter with the opening of its new purpose-built distillery and visitor centre overlooking the Eden Estuary near St Andrews. The Botanical Project range featured here was a limited-edition release and is no longer part of Eden Mill's current collection, making this entry a snapshot of an earlier chapter in the distillery's story.


During the Middle Ages, the town became one of Europe's most important pilgrimage destinations, attracting travellers from across the continent who journeyed to the shrine of St Andrew.  Many would have crossed the medieval Guard Bridge over the River Eden on their final approach to the cathedral, a crossing that gave nearby Guardbridge its name and welcomed countless pilgrims for centuries.


It seems rather fitting that people still travel here in search of something special. Today, instead of relics, many come to discover one of Scotland's most exciting modern distilleries.


There's something rather fitting about the bottle, too. Its traditional ceramic style has an almost timeless quality that feels perfectly at home in a town where medieval streets, ancient ruins and centuries of history still shape the landscape. While not designed to represent St Andrews' pilgrims, it's easy to imagine a bottle like this sitting comfortably among the stone buildings and bustling closes that welcomed travellers to the town for generations.


The Botanical Project Gin reminded me of aquavit, so I decided to give a classic cocktail a Scottish twist.


Rather than rinsing the glass with aquavit, as some versions of the

Corpse Reviver No. 2 suggest, I rinsed it with a splash of whisky instead. The result is wonderfully subtle, adding just a gentle hint of smoke that complements the earthy botanicals beautifully.



Sometimes the most memorable gins aren't the easiest to love at first sip. They're the bottles that challenge expectations, encourage experimentation and reward curiosity—and this is certainly one of them.




For today's serve, I mixed up my own Scottish-inspired Corpse Reviver.


Scottish Corpse Reviver

Equal parts

  • Eden Mill Botanical Project Gin
  • Lemon Juice
  • White Port (in place of Lillet Blanc)
  • Triple Sec


Rinse the chilled glass with a splash of whisky before pouring the cocktail, then garnish with a maraschino cherry.



The whisky rinse is delicate but unmistakable, adding an extra layer of warmth that makes this classic feel right at home in Scotland.