Lindores Abbey Distillery Aqua Vitae 70 cl 40%

In 1494, a friar at Lindores Abbey was recorded in Scotland's Exchequer Rolls making "aqua vitae" for King James IV — the earliest written evidence of Scotch whisky production in existence. Today Lindores Abbey Distillery revives that very story, using herbs foraged from the abbey's own ruins.

The Expert's Description

Lindores Abbey Distillery Aqua Vitae is a spiced Aqua Vitae from Scotland, bottled at 40%. The bottle is the distillery's tribute to the famous 1494 record, in which the friar John Cor was issued malt to brew "aqua vitae" — the term of the day for what we now call whisky.

Rather than resting in cask, Lindores Abbey macerates and infuses the spirit with herbs and plants foraged from the abbey ruins: sweet cicely, cleavers and lemon verbena, rounded out with douglas fir. The base is distilled in traditional pot stills, and the result is a natural, herbal spirit with no added sugar — a living echo of how aqua vitae may have tasted long before whisky as we know it existed.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Light top notes of peach and pear, giving way slowly to ginger, clove and cinnamon.

Palate

Rich caramel sweetness meets the fresh herbs from the ruins, with a faint resinous note of fir in the background.

Finish

Light and herbal, as the spices fade gently into a fresh, green close.

Specifications

Name: Lindores Abbey Distillery Aqua Vitae
Distillery: Lindores Abbey Distillery
Country: Scotland
Type: Aqua Vitae
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
EAN: 5060552420003
Serving suggestion: Serve chilled as an aperitif or in a simple highball with tonic.

Flavour Profile

Herbal · Spiced · Fruity · Sweet

Did You Know?

Lindores Abbey sits on the very ground where, in 1494, the earliest written record of aqua vitae was delivered to the Scottish crown — an entry historians now regard as the birth certificate of Scotch whisky.

See our full range of Lindores Abbey Distillery

Listen to our podcast:

Frequently Asked Questions about Lindores Abbey Distillery Aqua Vitae

What is Lindores Abbey's Aqua Vitae?

It's a spiced, herb-infused spirit distilled in pot stills and then macerated with plants foraged from the abbey ruins. It is not cask aged.

What does Lindores Abbey Aqua Vitae taste like?

Peach and pear on the nose, followed by ginger, clove and cinnamon. The palate is rich and caramel-sweet with a herbal, faintly resinous layer from fir.

Why is it called Aqua Vitae?

The name refers to Scotland's earliest written mention of whisky production, a 1494 record stating that the friar John Cor was given malt to brew "aqua vitae" at this very site.

How should Lindores Abbey Aqua Vitae be served?

Chilled as an aperitif or in a simple highball with tonic, where the herbal notes have room to open up.

Where do the herbs in the bottle come from?

Sweet cicely, cleavers and lemon verbena are foraged from Lindores Abbey's own ruins and added alongside douglas fir.

Is Lindores Abbey Aqua Vitae the same as whisky?

No, it is not cask aged and is therefore not classed as whisky, but as a spiced spirit in the tradition of historical aqua vitae.