The Criterion Pub, which has been established since 1874 contacted Tayport Distillery in October 2023 to produce a gin that used local berries.The Criterion has always been inspired by local collaboration and to celebrate their 150th year anniversary they contacted Tayport Distillery to produce a Blackcurrant inspired Gin.
Steve and Hazel Latto, (Co-owners of The Criterion) Phil and Fraser Wilson (Bar Managers) began to notice a trend within the bar and their customers. Gins with a berry flavour were popular and the idea struck them to develop a gin of their own using local berries. After championing local producers such as Tayport Distillery, who shared the same ethos and were already producing a Blackcurrant Liqueur, Steve thought about commissioning their own bespoke gin in collaboration with the award-winning distillery. A couple meetings later, Alasdair McDougall, Head Distiller, had developed a recipe to make the new gin infused with local berries.
Steve Latto commented, “ The launch of the Criterion Gin has been a dream of ours ever since we took on the bar. Our team is always speaking with customers and gaining insight into what they like and don’t like and this has really shaped how we wanted the gin to come out. With the majority of the hard work being done by the fabulously talented team at Tayport Distillery, together we have come up with a unique gin that has been carefully curated using nine botanicals such as juniper, coriander, cassia, angelica, orange peel, orris root, hibiscus, blackcurrants and raspberries. Distilled with precision and passion in small batches, we believe our collaboration has delivered a modern gin that will stand the test of time, very much like The Criterion itself. The Criterion Gin can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, with tonic or as the foundation for inspired cocktails, this is a versatile gin that embodies the spirit of St Andrews and the surrounding areas.”
When trying the gin neat, customers can expect a warm mouthfeel which is bursting with berry flavours, complemented by citrus and base notes of juniper. The Criterion’s recommended serve is 50 mls of gin poured over ice with a slimline tonic and fresh local raspberries and blackberries to garnish. It has already proven to be very popular with several deliveries being made in the first few days since launch.
Here is what Duncan McDougall, Co-owner of Tayport Distillery, had to say on the project: ‘Tayport Distillery was thrilled to be asked by The Criterion to collaborate on this project! When the team at The Criterion mentioned using local berries, we were excited to get back into how we started - distilling using real fruit! The blackcurrants are grown locally, and distilled with the other Gin botanicals and this is what gives this gin a unique and delicious flavour!’
