If any of you saw my post on our Facebook page the other day, you might know that I’m on a bit of a Whitley Neill tasting drive. I like their gins anyway, but this little bottle was courtesy of a lovely birthday gift from my sister. Well, I broke out the Whitley Neill Scottish Raspberry gin (paid link) just the other day and I am pleased to report that it was absolutely delicious. Much better than I had expected.
So, let me tell you all about it.
Powerful, but not overpowering
I know that Whitley Neill flavoured gins are not to everyone’s taste, but I love them. I think they’re great value and in the past, they’ve come up with some really creative and unusual combinations.
These include rhubarb and ginger (paid link) and one of my favourites from last year, their Lemongrass and Ginger gin. So, when I opened the bottle, I wasn’t sure quite what to expect. What I got was a big blast of raspberry on the nose, which I found powerful, not overwhelming – a very seductive start. This is a full-on gin , sweet (but not too sweet!)
When I poured it (long) into my brand new Silent Pool gin tumbler (paid link), I could really smell the raspberry.
Then I loaded the glass up with giant ice cubes and filled it to the top with some standard Nordic Tonic Water. Finally, I added a slice of orange and took a long deep sip.
I was pleasantly surprised.
Big burst of “raspberry-ness”
I got a full on hit of pure Scottish raspberry – but not the kind of raspberry taste you get from a Raspberry Ripple ice cream. It was the kind you get from freshly picked raspberries from a hedgerow. It was packed full of delicious raspberry-ness. It tasted of lush, slightly over-ripe fruit, but it also had a little edge of bitterness which stopped it becoming a “bubble gum” gin.
A big blast of flavour opens the account, with a tangy fruity burst that lingers in the mouth.
The Scottish raspberries come through loud and clear and it doesn’t taste fake.
The guys at Whitley Neill have added coriander, licorice and hibiscus (amongst other botanicals) all of which give way to delicious red fruit. But it’s well balanced and not too much.
Whitley Neill first introduced this mouth-watering gin to the Whitley Neill range in 2018 and, I’m pleased to say that it’s not as sweet as I had expected.
The perfect pour: At 43% ABV, they have not sacrificed strength or flavour. Whitley Neill seem to have the knack of producing great gins at great prices. I highly recommend this one. Somebody has suggested that it tastes even better when paired with frozen raspberries and elderflower tonic.
I think I’ll have to give it a go.

Written by Steve (with a little help from Ruddles, the gin dog!)
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