Gin and tea: Scotland's first premium gin distilled with hand-picked tea

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/742586/The-Teasmith-gin-tea-Scotland-premium-drinks

The vhas been created by Nick and Emma Smalley from Udny Green, who have spent over a year learning the art of distilling to perfect their blend. 

The artisan gin is now being distilled in Perthshire’s Strathearn distillery and a limited first batch of 560 bottles goes on sale this week, in time for Christmas. 

More bottles will be produced early next year as Nick and Emma aim to expand across the UK as well as internationally. 

Having witnessed, like many, a renaissance of their favourite spirit, the couple wanted to create a premium gin that uses botanicals intrinsically associated with Aberdeenshire, and through research discovered the nearby Newburgh estuary was once a thriving trading port, with tea being one of its biggest imports. 

Mr Smalley first began experimenting with spirits by creating sloe gin as favours for guests at the couple’s wedding.

He said further investigation into tea trading in the North-east inspired the concept and recipe used to create The Teasmith Gin.

He said: “Some of the world’s most notable tea-clippers were built in Aberdeen harbour, some of which played a major role in opening up the important tea trade routes with the Far East.

“But it was the story of a young man from Auchenblae, Aberdeenshire, who founded the first tea plantation in Sri Lanka in 1867 that intrigued us the most.

"James Taylor, known as the ‘Father of Ceylon Tea’, transformed the island into one of the finest tea growing regions in the world.

"This little known tale really affirmed our decision to use tea as one of our key botanicals." 

fter identifying their trademark ingredient, the couple worked with tea consultant Beverly-Claire Wainwright to source a highly unique tea from Sri Lanka. 

The hand-rolled tea from Amba Estate offers something truly different.

It is a rare tea that has been developed with meticulous care, using only the finest leaf and bud, to create rich aromatic flavours.  

Production is tiny and is made entirely by hand without machinery in the same way that Taylor produced his very first batches of tea.   

The black loose leaf Ceylon tea is distilled by itself to capture its unique flavour and is blended with a classic gin recipe featuring juniper, coriander, citrus peels and other carefully selected botanicals which have been double-distilled in traditional copper alembic stills. 

The Smalleys believe this carefully curated blend produces a truly unique gin, characterised by its clarity, simplicity and confidence.

Mrs Smalley explained: “It was the first time the distillery had used tea as a botanical so it was a real step into the unknown.

“The result is in the taste – a sweetness, like that of a high quality tea, with a subtle essence of mint. 

“However, the gin doesn’t actually taste like tea - the tea leaves give a unique taste that is light on the palate with a distinct, crisp freshness, one of a kind really. So anyone who doesn’t like tea shouldn’t be put off! 

“We’re planning to expand the Teasmith product range to further explore the unique flavours these specialty teas can truly offer." 

Mr and Mrs Smalley have also worked with a local, internationally acclaimed design studio, FortyTwo Studio, to create a exclusive brand with a distinctively different concept and bottle design – to stand out from the crowd, on shelf and at home.