TAYPORT Distillery is a family business, born out of love for fine food and drink and a mission to use the best locally sourced ingredients for great tasting spirits.
Kecia McDougall was inspired on a holiday to France, where she watched farmers use fruit at the end of growing season to produce eau de vie. She knew that farmers at home had ripe fruit that would not make it to the supermarket shelves, and she had a brainstorm.
Her home in the lush Tay Valley was the ideal spot to realise this vision, where the long, cool growing season, fertile soil and soft rain provide the perfect environment for their spirits’ raw materials, such as the juiciest berries and finest barley.
‘This is real provenance, or terroir,’ Kecia explains. ‘Our spirits are completely local, we can even talk about the fields and farms our fruit and grains are collected from. We only use the best at the best time of year because we can, as they right are on our doorstep.’
Kecia launched the first Scottish Eau de Vie in 2018, and now the whole McDougall family, including Duncan, Mary, Alasdair, plus their Cocker Spaniel named Jura, are focussed on building a brand that embodies their ethos of authenticity, sustainability, creativity and supporting the their community.
The business has gone from strength to strength, and the Distillery now produces a range of world-class spirits, including the award winning Malt Barley Vodka, Wild Rose and Scots Pine Gins as well as delicious Apple, Blueberry Raspberry and Strawberry Eau de Vie.
From wildflowers and blackberries hand gathered from the banks of the River Tay, to essence of Scots pine from Tentsmuir Forest, to barley from Tayside’s ancient, bountiful fields, each unique tipple is infused with the spirit of Scotland’s landscape.
The newest additions to the range are the 1992 Raspberry Liqueur and 1992 Blackcurrant Liqueur, in which nature, technology and science come together to create lip-smacking spirits.
‘Good relationships with Scottish farmers allow us to collect fruit just at the right time to produce fresh tasting fruit liqueurs,’ Kecia explains. ‘No additives or flavourings are necessary to promote the flavour. Our distillery uses modern innovative technology that is sleek and clean to produce spirits with the maximum flavour possible.’
Find Tayport Distillery spirits at markets and trade fairs throughout the year and at fine outlets such as Green Welly Stop, Balgove Larder, Loch Leven’s Larder and Valhalla’s Goat in Glasgow, as well as on their website and at the shop at Shanwell Road, Tayport DD6 9DX, where you can tour the Distillery and see where the magic happens.
There is a spirit for every taste, and be sure to celebrate the season with Barnett’s Bakery gin-infused mince pies, which are included in a number of our Christmas Gift options. Visit www.tayportdistillery.com and join @tayportdistillery on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Exclusively for Scottish Field readers, Tayport Distillery is offering 10% off for all orders over £25 when you use the code ’scottishfield’, just in time for Christmas shopping!
Plus, read more of the stories behind the goodies inside the Scottish Field Christmas hamper.
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