Drinking in the Destination: UK & Ireland Gin & Whisky

The UK can be all too easily overlooked as a cruise destination, but with its rich history and diverse landscapes - from the Jurassic Coast to the Scottish Highlands - it is undoubtedly well worth exploring. And anyone who enjoys a tipple is spoilt for choice too. Famed for our beer, gin and whisky there really is something for everyone, whether you prefer a pint in the pub or a cocktail in a world-class bar.

Introduction to gin

Gin has a long and storied history in the UK, and particularly in England, from the gin craze of the 18th century to the proliferation of opulent gin palaces during the Victorian era. Winston Churchill even credited the gin and tonic with saving more Englishmen's lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire! In 2009 a craft gin renaissance was kickstarted by the opening of Sacred Spirits and Sipsmith, leading to an explosion of small scale producers across the UK - from Scilly Spirits to Isle of Skye Distillers - and resulting in an enormous gin boom that peaked around 2018. While gin remains popular, many distillers are now diversifying their ranges and experimenting with producing everything from absinthe to rum.

Introduction to whisk(e)y

Whisk(e)y is the traditional spirit of both Scotland and Ireland and, regardless of spelling (without the “e” in Scotland and with the “e” in Ireland), is made from fermented grain mash which is distilled and aged in wooden casks for at least three years. Although there are some technical differences, both countries produce blended whiskies as well as single grains and single malts (whereby “single” refers to the produce of one single distillery, and “grain” or “malt” refers to the raw material used to make the spirit). Scotch is the better known of the two, partly because it accounts for approximately 20% of all food and drinks exports from the UK, but Irish whiskey can be equally excellent and is currently enjoying a significant revival. English whisky is also starting to make a name for itself, with 61 distilleries across the country and the nation’s first 18-year-old whisky released earlier this year.

Plymouth

There are few better places to delve into the history of gin than Plymouth; home to the oldest working distillery in England. Established in 1793, The Plymouth Distillery still stands in the Barbican district of the city, a short stroll from the picturesque port where the Mayflower pilgrims set sail for America in 1620, and not far from the city’s Royal Docklands. Unsurprisingly naval officers developed a taste for Plymouth Gin, which was also convenient to take on long sea voyages as it didn’t spoil like beer or wine. It did, however, need to have a higher alcohol content so that in the event of a spillage the ship’s gunpowder would remain flammable. The terminology probably wasn’t used then, but today any gin bottled at 57% ABV or above is consequently classified as “Navy Strength”. By 1850 Plymouth Distillery was supplying over 1,000 barrels of gin a year to British ships, the global deployment of which not only resulted in wider consciousness and consumption of Plymouth Gin, but also the creation of classic Navy cocktails such as the Gimlet and Pink Gin, both of which can be enjoyed at the distillery’s gorgeous Grade II* listed Refectory Bar.

Falmouth

If Plymouth takes us back to gin’s past, vibrant Falmouth is far more representative of its recent revival. Prior to 2009 there were just a handful of historic gins such as Gordon’s and Beefeater dominating the market, so when Southwestern Distillery was established in 2012 it was the first distillery to open in Cornwall in 100 years. It initially launched with just one spirit - Tarquin’s Cornish Gin made with fresh citrus, bitter almond and handpicked violets - but now has a huge range, including “The Seadog” Navy Strength Gin, all of which can be sampled at their tasting room overlooking Falmouth harbour.

Since 2012 many more distilleries have popped up across Cornwall, including Penzance’s Pocketful of Stones (who also have a shop in Falmouth where you can try everything from their black squid ink gin to their Cornish whisky) and Falmouth’s very own Loveday Distilling. Conceived during lockdown by childhood-friends-turned-chefs Chloe and Daisy, today Loveday produce a range of gins including Golden Hour which was awarded an incredible 98/100 by the International Wine and Spirits Competition, and even an organic made-from-scratch British rum which is fermented, distilled, oak-aged and bottled in Cornwall.

READ MORE: How to spend a day in Falmouth

Invergordon

Located on the northern shore of the Cromarty Firth, Invergordon is identifiable by its oil rigs and eponymous whisky distillery. Established in 1959, shortly after the town’s naval base closed, Invergordon is one of only 8 grain distilleries in Scotland which use both malted barley and unmalted cereals in the production of their whisky. Using a continuous distillation process, Invergordon makes a mind-boggling 40million litres of spirit a year, the majority of which goes into their Whyte & Mackay blends.

Invergordon Distillery isn’t open to the public, but the town does act as a gateway to the Highlands; geographically the largest of the 5 Scotch Whisky producing regions. Of the Highland’s 56 malt distilleries, the nearest to Invergordon are Dalmore, Teaninich, Ardross, Balblair and one of the most historic and best known in Scotland; Glenmorangie. Although alcohol is believed to have been produced on site since 1703, Glenmorangie was officially founded in 1843 and is famed for its striking stills. At almost 17 feet, the same height as an adult giraffe, they are the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland and credited with creating Glenmorangie’s signature soft and fruity flavour.

READ MORE: What is Scotland known for?

Orkney

Orkney is an archipelago of about 70 islands famed for its well-preserved Neolithic sites, stunning natural landscape and fantastic food and drink, and is also the most northerly of Scotland's whisky-producing regions.

Founded in 1798, Highland Park is the tenth oldest distillery in Scotland and one of a handful to still use traditional floor malting; a labour-intensive process where soaked barley is spread on concrete floors to germinate and then turned by hand every eight hours for seven days a week. Once germination is complete, the barley is moved to one of Highland Park’s two pagoda-shaped kilns and dried by burning sustainably sourced local heathered peat which imparts the resulting whisky with a smoky and floral character.

If smoke’s not your thing, stroll over to Scapa Distillery instead; one of only a few in the Scottish Islands to make an entirely unpeated single malt. Founded in 1885, the distillery is well worth visiting to sample their tropical whisky in the ‘Noust’; a cosy tasting room with wonderful views over Scapa Flow and a stunning ceiling crafted in the style of a traditional fishing boat. And if it’s gin you’re after fear not, The Orkney Distillery serves their full range of Kirkjuvagr Gin, inspired by Orkney’s Viking heritage, at their fun outdoor bar in Kirkwall called Oot the Back.

Isle of Mull

The colourful capital of the Isle of Mull has been home to the eponymous Tobermory Distillery since 1798. Said to blend tradition and innovation, Tobermory produce two styles of small-batch whisky - an unpeated single malt with bright, fruity, subtly sweet notes and a rich, smoky peated whisky - as well two Hebridean Gins which both contain a splash of new make spirit from their whisky stills.

Less well known but equally worth exploring is the super sustainable Sgriob-ruadh dairy farm and distillery, where they not only make award-winning cheese using 100% renewable energy but also use the whey leftover from the cheese-making process to make alcohol. The entire range - including two vodkas, a gin, an oak-aged “Wheyski” and a cream liqueur - can be picked up at The Glass Barn farm shop and café where you can also enjoy lunch, take in the views down to the sound of Mull and, if you time your visit right, watch the cows saunter in for milking.

READ MORE: Cruising the Scottish Isles

Belfast

Ireland was once the world's largest whiskey producer, but the impact of prohibition in the United States (where Irish whiskey had accounted for more than 60% of whiskey sales) combined with protectionist policies, widespread counterfeiting and the over-expansion and mismanagement of distilleries, meant that by 1975 there were only two distilleries producing whiskey in Ireland - Bushmills in the North and Midleton in the South - both of which were owned by the same company. More recently, growing interest in single malt and global demand for premium spirits has led to a revival and there are now 50 operational distilleries on the island of Ireland.

When Titanic Distillers opened in 2023 it became the first working whiskey distillery in Belfast in almost 90 years. Located on the site of the historic Thompson Graving Dock, visitors can enjoy tours of both the pumphouse distillery and the dock where RMS Titanic last rested on dry ground, as well as a taste of the distillery’s 5 Year Old Pot Still Irish Whiskey; a style unique to Ireland which is made by a single distillery from a mixed mash of malted and unmalted barley and triple distilled in a copper pot still.

READ MORE: How to spend a day in Belfast

Dublin

Dublin is synonymous with Guinness and there’s no better place to enjoy it, whether in a traditional pub or the Guinness Storehouse; the brand home at St. James' Gate Brewery where it all began in 1759 and which still remains its central production facility.

But if you fancy something stronger there’s plenty of whiskey too. Founded in 1780 Jameson was one of the six original whiskies of Dublin and is now by far the world’s best-selling Irish whiskey. Although production of this blended whiskey (part single pot still and part single grain) now takes place at the New Midleton Distillery in County Cork, the original Jameson Distillery on Bow Street is open to the public for tours, cocktail-making classes and whiskey tasting sessions. Described as light and approachable, Jameson’s can be sipped neat, mixed with cola or ginger ale, or enjoyed in a classic cocktail such as a Whiskey Sour or an Irish Coffee (all of which are served on board an Ambassador sailing).

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READ MORE: Discovering the culture and charm of Ireland

If this has tempted your tastebuds, or got you wondering what else you can discover without venturing too far from home, why not read more about Ambassador’s British Isle Cruises?

About the Author:

Sarah Miller is a freelance drinks writer, judge and consultant. Having developed a love of gin - and an uncanny knack for winning gin competitions(!) - in 2014, Sarah launched her blog ginadingding.com in 2016. 

Since then Sarah has become a regular judge at a number of international drinks competitions - including The Global Spirits Masters, the World Drinks Awards, the American Distilling Institute International Spirits Competition and the Great Taste Awards - specialising in gin, vodka, RTDs and Low/No drinks.

Shortlisted for the IWSC’s Emerging Talent in Spirits Communication Award and Consumer Drinks Communicator of the Year in the People’s Choice Drinks Awards, Sarah also writes for a variety of publications and was appointed as the spirits columnist for New Zealand’s Drinksbiz magazine in late 2023.

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