The Highland Liquor Company, based in Ullapool, has won the Distilling Product of the Year award in the White Spirits category at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2024. Their product, Seven Crofts Fisherman’s Strength Gin, beat out stiff competition from Buck and Birch’s BIRCH Premium Botanical Vodka, Isle of Barra Distillers’ Barra Atlantic Gin, and North Uist Distillery’s Downpour Scottish Dry Gin.
Robert Hicks, co-owner of the Highland Liquor Co., said, “We are absolutely thrilled to have been recognised at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards as Distilling Product of the Year – in the White Spirits category. This reaffirms that we have crafted a quality product that resonates with those who take the time to savour its complex and subtle flavour profile.”
The distillery, founded by Helen Chalmers and Robert Hicks, has been producing spirits since 2019, with the launch of their original Seven Crofts Gin. The Fisherman’s Strength Gin, introduced in 2020, is bottled at 57% and has a flavour profile that includes juniper, blueberry, black pepper, and coriander.
The awards, held at The Doubletree, celebrates top food and drink products from across Scotland and was organised by Scotland Food & Drink in partnership with Asda. Iain Baxter, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, said, “The Excellence Awards truly highlight the breadth and diversity within Scotland’s food and drink sector, showcasing a thriving industry that continues to evolve at an exciting pace.”