The Botanist Gin 1.75L

The Botanist Gin 1.75L is a 46% ABV Islay dry gin distilled with 31 botanicals at Bruichladdich Distillery, available here in a large-format 1.75-liter bottle. It is the only gin produced on Islay, and its use of 22 hand-foraged wild botanicals native to the island earned it a Diamond prize at the 2011 Concours Mondial des Femmes et Spiritueux du Monde in Monaco.

Quick Facts: ABV: 46% (92 proof)  |  Origin: Islay, Scotland  |  Style: Dry Gin  |  Distillery: Bruichladdich

Production & Heritage

Bruichladdich Distillery, founded in 1881 on the shores of Loch Indaal, is best known for its single malt Scotch whiskies but carved out an entirely new niche with The Botanist — Islay's first and only dry gin. The spirit begins with nine classical gin aromatics: juniper, cassia, coriander, cinnamon, orange peel, lemon peel, liquorice, angelica root, and orris root. These are joined by 22 additional botanicals — including wild thyme, meadowsweet, mugwort, and wood sage — hand-foraged across Islay's Atlantic-battered coastline, bogs, and hillsides by the distillery's foraging team. Distillation takes place in a unique Lomond pot still nicknamed "Ugly Betty," which allows a slow, low-pressure infusion that gently coaxes volatile oils from the delicate wild plants without scorching them.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with restrained juniper and bright citrus peel before giving way to soft cinnamon warmth and a clean, almost evergreen freshness. Delicate floral layers emerge beneath, hinting at the breadth of wild Islay botanicals at work.

Taste: The entry is a burst of lemon and grapefruit citrus that quickly broadens into warm baking spice — cinnamon and cassia — at mid-palate. As it develops, cool menthol and basil-like herbal tones appear alongside a rooty, creamy texture that gives the gin unusual depth for its category.

Finish: The finish is long and multi-layered, starting warm and woody before transitioning into a cooling minty close with lingering pine and citrus echoes. It remains balanced throughout, never dominated by a single note.

How to Drink The Botanist

At 46% ABV, The Botanist has enough structure to drink neat or over a single large ice cube, which gradually opens the herbal complexity as dilution increases. A classic Gin & Tonic with a quality tonic and a sprig of fresh thyme highlights the gin's wild herb character. It also shines in a French 75, where its citrus-forward brightness pairs naturally with champagne and lemon juice. Try it in a Last Word — the menthol and herbal qualities complement green Chartreuse beautifully. A Bee's Knees with honey syrup and lemon draws out the gin's baking-spice warmth in a way more juniper-heavy gins cannot match.

Best For

• Stocking a home bar with a versatile, cocktail-ready gin in a large format
• Hosting gatherings where a single bottle needs to serve multiple rounds of G&Ts
• Gifting a gin enthusiast who appreciates terroir-driven spirits
• Exploring botanical complexity beyond standard London Dry expressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Botanist taste like? The Botanist leads with bright citrus and warm baking spice, then shifts into cool menthol and herbal layers with a creamy, rooty undertone — all held together by a restrained juniper backbone rather than a juniper-dominant profile.

How does The Botanist compare to St. George Botanivore? Both gins are botanical-heavy and prioritize herbal complexity over juniper punch, but The Botanist draws its character from 22 wild-foraged Islay plants and distills in a Lomond still at 46% ABV, while St. George Botanivore uses 19 botanicals distilled in a traditional copper pot still at 45% ABV in Alameda, California. The Botanist tends to show more menthol and cool evergreen notes, whereas Botanivore leans toward earthy, meadow-like qualities.

Is The Botanist good for cocktails? Its 46% ABV gives it the backbone to stand up in mixed drinks without fading behind other ingredients, and its broad botanical profile adds complexity to classics like the Gin & Tonic, French 75, and Negroni.

Where is The Botanist made? The Botanist is distilled at Bruichladdich Distillery on the isle of Islay, one of the southern Inner Hebrides islands off Scotland's west coast. It is the only gin produced on the island, which is more traditionally associated with peated Scotch whisky.

What foods pair well with The Botanist? Fresh oysters and shellfish complement the gin's coastal, herbal character. Smoked salmon mirrors its subtle evergreen notes. Soft goat cheese with herbs balances the citrus and spice. Lemon tart echoes the bright citrus entry, and grilled white fish with fresh thyme reinforces the wild botanical theme.

What sizes does The Botanist come in? The Botanist is commonly available in 750ml, 1L, and this 1.75L large-format bottle, making the 1.75L option practical for frequent use or entertaining.

Is The Botanist worth the price? The Botanist positions as a premium dry gin, priced above mainstream London Drys but competitive with other small-batch, botanically complex gins like Hendrick's and St. George Botanivore — and the 1.75L format typically delivers better per-ounce value than the standard 750ml bottle.

Why The Botanist?

No other gin replicates this particular intersection of place and production: 22 wild botanicals foraged by hand from a single Scottish island, distilled slowly through a rare Lomond pot still that most distilleries scrapped decades ago. The result is a gin that genuinely tastes like its terroir — maritime, herbaceous, and layered — rather than relying on a standard juniper-and-citrus template. Its Diamond prize at the 2011 Concours Mondial in Monaco validated what gin drinkers had already noticed: this is a benchmark for the modern botanical gin movement. The 1.75L format simply means you run out less often.