On a farm in Fetternear in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Andrew Smith and Chris Reid head out into the fields and woodland edges to forage birch sap, wood sorrel and beech leaves for their gin. The name comes from Andrew's dog, who followed him on every distillery visit.
Expert's description
Little Brown Dog Aberdeenshire Foraged Gin is a Scottish gin made from a blend of foraged and bought-in botanicals and bottled at 43%.
The gin is made by Little Brown Dog Spirits, a small distillery and independent bottler founded in 2018 by Andrew Smith and Chris Reid on a farm in Fetternear. Alongside bought-in botanicals such as juniper from Italy, coriander from France, angelica root from Belgium and orris root from Italy, they forage birch sap, wood sorrel, beech leaves, rhubarb, parsnip and some of the juniper themselves, directly on the farm.
The distillery is built around full traceability: a QR code on the back label shows exactly where each foraged or grown ingredient came from on the farm.
The result is a contemporary Scottish dry gin, where piney juniper meets citrus and floral notes from the local plants.
Tasting notes
Nose
Juniper and pine lead, with a touch of citrus peel and a lightly honeyed note of bee pollen.
Palate
The palate is clean and sharp, with juniper and angelica root as the backbone, while the foraged botanicals - birch sap and beech leaves - add a light earthy, herbal undertone.
Finish
The finish is dry and refreshing, with a faint tartness from the wood sorrel and a last trace of florals.
Specifications
Name: Little Brown Dog Aberdeenshire Foraged Gin
Country: Scotland
Type: Scottish Dry Gin
Size: 70 CL
ABV: 43%
Serving suggestion: Serve with a simple tonic and a piece of citrus peel, so the foraged botanicals get room to shine
Distillery: Little Brown Dog Spirits
Flavour profile
Piney · Citrus · Herbal · Floral
Did you know?
The name Little Brown Dog comes from Andrew Smith's own dog, who followed him on every whisky distillery visit while he and Chris Reid developed the idea for their own distillery.
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