Scotland is full of surprises and hidden gems. I love visiting places that I’ve maybe heard of, pronounced incorrectly (haven’t we all) and then finding them at the end of a winding country lane, 2 minutes from the motorway.

This is Glamis. Yep I’ve been pronouncing it Glam-is instead of Glams for years; I promise you I am Scottish!

Glamis is an idyllic wee village, with a pristine town square and chocolate box rows of cottages, a stones throw from Glamis Castle in Angus. Tucked neatly down one of maybe five lanes in the village, lies the courtyard that is The Gin Bothy.

REVIEW OF THE GIN BOTHY, GLAMIS, ANGUS

I can imagine this place buzzing in the Summer and quite magical coming up to Christmas. It’s an all in one stop with drinks and take-away food available from the Bothy Bakery, history lessons in gin making and Scottish Bothy culture, gin masterclasses and a shop.

Plenty of outdoor seating and picnic tables, picked botanicals free for you to take away and cosy bothy rooms will greet you on arrival here.

I was here as part of the Visit Angus Arbroath Smokie Trail. Although a wee bit outside Arbroath, 30 minute car journey, The Gin Bothy now has a strong tie with Arbroath Smokies, in that they have produced their first Smoked Gin. For more info on the Arbroath Smokie Trail, read my review HERE

The botanicals, which are picked from around the bothy, are then smoked in traditional smokehouses in Arbroath penetrating their core flavours and aromas which is then released into the new make spirit during distillation creating a deep smoky gin.

The Gin Bothy offer gin tastings of their most popular gins and liqueurs. For £15 you get to taste 2 gins and one liqueur plus an added bonus of the Smoky Gin. All your mixers and garnishes are also included.

Tucked into one of the old stables is the tasting room. It’s cosy and kitted out to give some full on hygge, including tartan blankets, leather armchairs and beautiful wooden benches. It’s warm and cosy, and three gins in, you’ll soon forget the cold outside.

With some restrictions still in place, the tasting is done via a video played onto a large wall mounted television screen. You get control of the remote and can pause, rewind and play as you progress through your tasting. I thoroughly enjoyed this way of delivering a tasting, as you can set the pace and talk/discuss with others on the tasting without interrupting the host.

We tried four of their gins

• The Original - mixed with tonic and garnished with a wedge of orange and or rosemary. This tasty Scottish gin is made with a selection of local botanicals including hawthorn, heather, milk thistle, marshmallow root and Scottish pine needles, alongside juniper, lemon and orange. For me this was light and refreshing, with lots of juniper that mellows out bringin gin the pine at the end.

• The Raspberry Liqueur - sip on its own or mixed with lemonade and garnished with a raspberry. This is a nod to The Gin Bothy’s past - it use to be a Jam Bothy and Raspberry Jam was on the menu. I loved this although its super sweet. Consensus around the table was that this would be an excellent sauce for desserts or indeed topped up with Prosecco. It has real Summer vibes.

• The Gunshot - sip on its own or mixed with gingerale and garnished with a wedge of orange. Their best selling sipping gin and I know why. This is a Scottish winter in a bottle. Made with a blend of cinnamon, clove, mixed spices and local honey. I’m regretting not having purchased a large bottle of this as it would make Christmas toasts rather special.

• Smoked Gin - serve with tonic and a wedge of orange. With only 250 bottles made this is one unique gin. It’s been smoked in a local smokehouse in Arbroath releasing a very subtle smoke flavour and aroma. If you are used to drinking a smoky whisky, this won’t level up. The smokiness is there but its really the burnt orange and citrus notes that take centre stage. BUT serve this with Scottish Smoked Salmon and you’re on to a winner!

Besides a gin tasting, The Gin Bothy also serves up fabulous platters - The Ploughmans and the Seafood.

The Seafood Platter comes laden with a huge portion of salty hot smoked salmon, bread, oatcakes, pork pies, blackberries and crisps. Great for grazing throughout the hour long tasting session.

This is a very much do-it-yourself tasting but it’s fun experimenting and deciding it you prefer your gin straight up for sipping or as a long drink with a mixer.

It’s friendly, very informal, cosy and a superb activity for friends and couples to partake in.

The Gin Bothy Experience, Kirkwynd, Glamis, DD8 1RT www.ginbothy.co.uk

My Spoon Award : Gold Spoon 9/10

I was invited by Visit Angus to review their The Gin Bothy. Food and drink were complimentary but the views are very much my own.