Hot on the heels of being awarded a coveted Silver Medal at the 2021 World Gin Awards, Tobermory Hebridean Gin, has landed in British Columbia, marking its highly anticipated arrival on Canadian shores.

Inspired by the picturesque and wild coastlines of the Isle of Mull, Tobermory’s Gin which also took the Bronze Award at the 2020 International Spirits Challenge and the Best Scottish Classic Gin at the 2019 World Gin Awards, is infused with hand-selected botanicals including Scotch lovage, sugar kelp, lavender, and samphire to create a beautifully sweet, yet subtly salty flavour. Adding to its artisan uniqueness is a splash of spirit from the distillery’s whisky stills.

Tobermory Gin hails from one of Scotland’s oldest, yet inventive, artisan distillers. It will be available starting this month at liquor stores across British Columbia.

Tobermory Gin is the latest spirit sensation created by Distell Group Ltd.’s Master Blender, Julianne Fernandez. She’s now at the helm of Deanston, Bunnahabhain and Tobermory/ Ledaig to oversee the malts and blends for the group where she’s injecting new energy and approaches into a centuries-old tradition. Her success is evident in the growing portfolio and industry accolades, including Fernandez being named the 2022 regional ‘Icons of Whisky’ award for Scotland at the World Whisky Awards; one of the youngest individuals to earn this coveted distinction on the global stage. Julieanne’s passion for crafting spirits for younger audiences and females is driving international interest and acclaim when traditional whisky stereotypes are giving way to new audiences, cultural shifts and growing interest in provenance, artisanal brands and experiences.

According to Fernandez, “the Tobermory stills are unusually shaped and it’s because of this that the spirit has such a distinct, vibrant and citrus fruit character. The lantern-shape/bulbous boil bulbs are joined to very rare, steeply inclined lyne arms with s-shaped kinks in them. This increased reflux produces a light and uniquely vibrant, fruity character reflective of our home in the colourful town of Tobermory and is the reason it works so well as the base of our Gin.”

To celebrate the arrival of Tobermory Gin to the Canadian market, the brand has collaborated with award-winning bartender Jeff Savage, Head Bartender at Botanist Restaurant at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel to create bespoke cocktails inspired by 10 Vancouverites. It is my honour to be enlisted as one of the 10 Vancouverites to benefit from Jeff’s storytelling mastery through his craft.

I answered a set of questions about my favourite cuisines, activities I enjoy, and my favourite book to provide inspiration for Jeff to design the cocktail. He came up with a dynamic cocktail by using Tobermory’s Hebridean Gin as the base and adding in a bit of violette liqueur to bring out some floral vivacity with some blueberry and thyme blended with fresh cedar tea as a diluting agent.

The Canadian website for Tobermory Gin is launching today and it will showcase the 10 bespoke cocktail recipes that Jeff has created for this collaboration. You’ll want to pick up a bottle or two of Tobermory Hebridean Gin from your local liquor store to create your version of these cocktails for family and friends! I’ve shared my recipe below and I can tell you it’s just as delicious as Jeff describes, with floral, blueberry and cedar notes that embody a taste of Vancouver.

Photos courtesy of Tobermory Gin