Wrapped around a ceramic bottle which marks 10 years of the Dunnet Bay Distillers is a series of hand-painted illustrations, each telling another chapter of founders Martin and Claire Murray's Story.
From the early days when Mr Murray left his job in oil and gas to focus full time on the fledgling gin business with his wife, to the current restoration of a historic Caithness building, it makes for quite the tale.
“People often talk about big growth plans and the like,” he told the Herald as the first of these limited edition birthday bottles were shipped from the Highlands.
“Our goal when we started out was just to sell enough gin to pay two wages so that we could do that while bringing our kids up in Caithness.
“I don’t know if it was crazy or just a little naïve, but we were very lucky to do so at what seemed to be exactly the right time to hit the ground running.”
The original Rock Rose Gin, featuring locally foraged botanicals that are distilled by hand in bespoke copper pot stills, entered the online market just as Scotland was experiencing a surge of interest in small-batch distilleries and craft spirits.
And while operating the most northerly of all these mainland businesses has not been without its challenges, Murray says their location has acted as both a powerful personal motivator and the key to their commercial success.
“A lot of brands will look for ambassadors to represent their products, but our friends, family and the wider community here have always helped to spread the word for free,” he continued.
“We’ve had a loyal following right from the start and to recognise some of the same names on our orders time and time again is incredible.
“There tend to be higher business costs like surcharges for deliveries which don’t arrive as quickly as they would to the central belt, and we don’t have quite the same access to markets on our doorstep.
“But the flip side of that is people will go out of their way to come and find you because it’s a beautiful part of Scotland.
“There’s a lot of charm to the Highlands and living here we’ve really started to see the pros outweigh the cons.”
On top of much-appreciated support from the local community, Dunnett Bay Distillers have over the past decade amassed a glittering collection of international awards for their Rock Rose Gin, special editions and Holy Grass Vodka.
They were also the first to introduce a pioneering scheme which offers customers the chance to purchase fully recyclable pouches to refill their ceramic bottles time and time again.
Not ones to rest on their laurels, the latest project is the restoration of the Castletown Mill, a 200-year-old building which they hope to transform into a destination whisky distillery.
Mr Murray said: “When I met Claire 25 years ago, I was living in Thurso and she stayed in Dunnet.
“On the drive to go and see her I would pass the Mill and find myself daydreaming about turning it into a restaurant, hotel or distillery.
“So much so that I actually enquired about taking it over 20 years ago, but soon realised I had no skills and, more importantly, no money.
“Things like that will always stick in the back of your mind though, and six years ago I started to look into whether it was technically possible.
“In a stroke of luck, it turns out I used to car share with the owner, so he knew me personally and was really supportive of our ideas.
“For whatever reason, we then managed to do what no one had before and were granted planning permission to start stripping it back and making it safer.
“We’ve now reached a point where if nothing else, we’ve safeguarded that building for the next 200 years which is phenomenal to think about.”
While these improvements should rightfully be celebrated, there is still a long way to go before work on the Mill is complete.
The Murray’s are tentatively looking forward to the next 10 years, taking each new milestone as it comes and as ever remaining thankful for the team of long-term employees who have helped them on their journey.
“It’s great to be building this tourist attraction that will have a working distillery, a shop and a beautiful event space for weddings.
“When we were growing up in the Highlands, it felt like all the opportunities were elsewhere.
“If the Mill provides the option for even one person to stay in the place they love, like the business has done for our family, it will all be worth it.”
For more information on Dunnet Bay Distillers, visit their website here.
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