Researching infectious diseases seems an unlikely grounding for launching a new Scottish spirit into a crowded market place.
But Dr Marian Bruce, whose “wild Scottish” drink is flavoured with Alyth-grown birch trees, believes her academic background gives her new product the edge.
“The distillery is just a big laboratory so it’s somewhere that I’m comfortable working,” she said.
“But it’s different too, of course, it is a combination of doing science alongside developing flavours. We have the research background set up to test the product, but at the end of the day it’s about working out what flavours work best together.”
For the big launch, those flavours are: birch leaves, elder flowers and birch buds, harvested locally in the spring and packed into chest freezers in the converted farm come distillery Kirklandbank, a mile from Alyth.
Mother-of-two Dr Bruce, 53, hopes these “Scottish botanicals” will be enough to give her spirit the edge as the first batches leave the distillery
She said the recipe is a deliberate attempt to reconnect with Scotland’s forgotten past.
“We have strong links with Denmark and our boys both went to school there for a year. We realised they have a real connection with the landscape that we have lost in Scotland. It’s something we used to have, but have forgotten.”
Like the more famous Maple tree, birch syrup is used in beer, wine and in natural health products. It is more commonly found in northern Europe.
Dr Bruce set up the business, Highland Boundary, with her husband Simon Montador, 52, a business consultant, who she met while they were both studying biology in Edinburgh.
They moved to Alyth 10 years ago and have developed their Highland Boundary business – which also encompasses tourism and other sustainable products – after Dr Bruce took time away from her career as research scientist to raise her two sons.
They plan to produce 7000 bottles in the first year from the small copper still in the converted dairy shed next to their home.
The business already employs one person, with ambitions to employ one more over the next two years.
Mr Montador said: “Our location is everything and being part of the local community. We would not have been able to get the project off the ground without local trades and other support. Perthshire has a great heritage and we wanted to be part of that.”
Perthshire North MSP, and deputy first minster, John Swinney visited the business to launch the new product.
He said small artisan distilleries had an important role to play is creating growth in rural areas.
“Marian and Simon are incredibly passionate about their work, and I am confident that their first spirit will serve as a fitting tribute to both Scotland and their local community of Alyth.
“The couple have long been active in their community, from co-founding the Alyth Development Trust to operating Kirklandbank Farm. Moreover, they are passionate about developing local jobs.
“The latest diversification of their business portfolio is an exciting opportunity for a thriving local business to continue growing.”
Taste test – Brian Townsend
While elderflower is much used to flavour many drinks—soft drinks, cordials, low-percentage alcoholic drinks and finally spirits, birch makes a very rare appearance. And that is what makes this spirit so unusual.
The flavour comes from young birch buds, fresh-picked in spring and either used at once or carefully frozen for future use.
Initial nosing gives hints of spirit (it is bottled at 40% abv) plus a whiff of elderflower and a hint of fresh forest air on a cool spring morning.
Drunk neat, it has an initial flavour that quietly grows on you, growing in intensity, a fascinating mix of sweet and bitter, occasionally almost salty. Gradually and subtly, the mix of elderflower and birch fires up the taste buds at the edge and rear of the tongue, and these flavours linger on and on.
All in all, a heady newcomer to Scotland’s burgeoning spirits scene that deserves a place on many bar shelves and drinks cabinets.
