Social Night - Visit to Eden Mill Distillery & Brewery

None of the members of the club have ever spent time on or in a “gin palace”, floating or otherwise. However, they were pleased to come as close as they are likely to achieve that aim at the Eden Mill distillery and Brewery, Guardbridge, where several varieties of gin have been in production since November 2014.

Steven Arnott, the company’s retail manager, hosted the site visit and tasting event for a large number of club members and their spouses.
He related that since the company was founded some three years ago as brewers, they last year branched out into the distillation of both whisky and gin. As whisky must be matured a minimum three years before it can be marketed, it was solely their gin products which the assembled group were permitted to savour.

And they did……

In particular the seasonal “Golf Gin”, produced earlier this year to coincide with The Open Championship at St Andrews and which contains flavours of shavings from hickory golf clubs.

Eden.Mill distil four staple varieties of gin in addition to the seasonal choices, using flower, herb and other botanical items to flavour the end product.

It was gratifying to learn that the company which began with four workers now has 30 employees. They also do their utmost to source local produce, all of which is a boost to the local economy, and they are the only one-site operation in Scotland for both distillation and brewing.

Curiously, the bulk of the guests were of the opinion that the location – formerly the Guardbridge paper mill and now in ownership of St Andrews University – had been constructed as a paper mill.

We were surprised to learn the property began life back in the 19^th century as the Haig whisky distillery, the first-ever commercial distillery. It could be argued life has come full circle at Guardbridge.

Following the visit, the group returned to the New Golf Club of St Andrews for a meal and short business meeting, during which President Isobel Clifford and Junior Vice President John Spittal carried out the draw for the raffle associated with the forthcoming major golf charity event at Kingsbarns Links.

The lucky raffle winners will imminently be advised of their good fortune.