Scotland is home to all manner of distilleries great and small, found everywhere from far-flung corners of the country and urban city centres.
But only one newcomer can claim the title of the ‘world’s first’ gin distillery to be nestled deep within the crater of an extinct volcano.
The Igneous distillery, named after a type of rock formed when magma cools and crystallises, was launched by husband and wife team Miles and Katie Pote in 2023, as the pair paid homage to their home on the Ardnamurchan peninsula.
They said: “Many millions of years ago, the erupting of a volcano birthed the land on which our business is built.
“It's certainly not the average location for an endeavour like ours but that's exactly why we like it.
“Delving deep below our distillery, down through 60 million years of history we unleash our secret ingredient, the unique starting point from which our spirit flows.
“For our gin is proudly distilled with the finest Scottish water, naturally filtered through mineral-rich Igneous volcanic rock.”
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Utilising a workshop shed in the small village of Achnaha which once belonged to Mr Pote’s father, all production and distillation take place on-site at Igneous HQ which houses the main computer-controlled Genio still.
Further committing to a mantra of ‘Never Ever Ordinary’, every batch of spirit is unique thanks to the Igneous Ceramics Studio, where Mrs Pote crafts, fires and finishes each ceramic bottle before it is filled with their West Highland Dry Gin.
The duo continued: “Inspired by the volcanic rock which our pure water filters through and upon which our distillery is built, our custom ceramic bottle is inspired by the beautifully imperfect igneous shapes and textures - creating a piece of art which reflects the quality spirit that resides within.”
The debut spirit from Igneous, the West Highland Dry Gin, is described as a “distinctly clean and crisp juniper-forward gin with aromas of floral heather, lemon and Rowan berries.
Little over a year since the first production run, the distillery has already been recognised with a number of awards including ‘New Distillery Of The Year’ from the Gin Guide Awards and a Silver Medal at the London Spirits Competition.
While the distillery is not currently open to the public, the team has said they hope visitors will be permitted to visit their remote site that is unlike any other in the world as they continue to evolve and grow.
For more information on Igneous distillery, visit their website here.
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