THE GIN PASSPORT ATLAS - DISTILLERY STORY- PINNED ON THE MAP - EUROPE

Is bigger really better? We’re talking gin, of course!


The words craft gin and small batch gin are thrown around rather a lot these days. There’s nothing wrong with gin produced in volume, but for me, exploring smaller producers is far more exciting. I love discovering the people, places and stories behind the bottle.


And then there’s the slightly awkward question of where you draw the line. Plenty of small distilleries use commercially produced base spirit, so what exactly makes a gin “craft”? I’ll leave that one there!


Scotland has become rather famous for its gin as well as its whisky, and the number of Scottish distilleries has grown enormously over the past few years. My gin shelves are already groaning under the weight of them, but I’m still discovering new favourites.


Biggar Gin is one of them.


Brothers Stuart and Euan McVicar opened The Stillhouse in 2018, creating their independent distillery at Wyndales Mill, near Biggar in South Lanarkshire. Their philosophy is summed up as Biggar Mentality: small batches, high standards and no shortcuts.


The name and branding are a clever nod to their home town. Even the oversized labels reinforce the idea that although the gin is made in small batches, the ambition is anything but small.


Then there’s the greyhound.


The logo is a nod to the Biggar Coursing Club, established in 1821 by local proprietors and gentlemen who raced their greyhounds across the fields around Biggar. When the club eventually declined, it became a social club, with subscriptions used to purchase fine wines and spirits. I rather like the idea of that heritage making its way onto a gin bottle.

The Original Biggar Gin is their flagship London Dry, bottled at 43% ABV and produced in batches of no more than 140 bottles. The botanical list includes juniper, coriander, cardamom, cassia, orange, lemon, rosehip, rowan berries, nettles, pink peppercorn and lavender.


It’s a lovely combination of traditional and more unusual botanicals, creating a smooth, balanced gin with citrus, gentle spice and hints of hedgerow. The palate is initially sweet before the creamy juniper and citrus come through, followed by lavender and woody cassia on the finish.


The small-batch approach means the brothers can taste every run and keep a close eye on quality. And although Biggar Gin has grown considerably since I first discovered it, that philosophy remains at the heart of what they do.


It certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Biggar Original won the London Dry Gin category at The Gin Guide Awards in 2018, shortly after launching, and has subsequently picked up recognition at the Great Taste Awards, the London Spirits Competition and the Scottish Field Gin Challenge.


The range has also grown beyond the original recipe, with Biggar Strength, Old Tom, Herbaceous and other spirits now joining the line-up. Biggar Strength has been particularly successful, scoring an impressive 98/100 at the IWSC.


So, does size matter?


Perhaps not.


Biggar may have grown, but the batches are still small, the distillery is still in Biggar and Stuart and Euan are still very much hands-on.


Big ambition. Small batches. Biggar mentality.

"DOES SIZE MATTER?"



WHITE LADY COCKTAIL 

(from the Biggar Gin website)


50ml Original Biggar Gin

22.5 ml Orange Liqueur 

22.5 ml lemon juice

15ml sugar syrup

Egg white 


Method

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled.

Remove the ice (reverse dry shake) and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds. 

Double strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a little lemon peel.