Skellig Six18 Pot Still Gin

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 43.4% | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Woodland and the Atlantic coast shape the recipe of this gin from County Kerry. Its ten botanicals include locally gathered yarrow, Douglas fir needles, birch sap and dillisk, a seaweed harvested along the coast. Juniper provides a resinous, pine-like foundation with gentle bitterness, complemented by herbal citrus notes and pink grapefruit.

Each ingredient contributes something different: dillisk adds a delicate salinity, while birch sap brings gentle sweetness and a soft mineral finish. Yarrow adds bittersweet, slightly anise-like notes. Douglas fir needles contribute to the fresh, herbal citrus character.

Skellig Six18 uses a custom-made copper still from Italy, built in the traditional pot still style. The wild, locally foraged botanicals are distilled individually, allowing the temperature, pressure and duration to be tailored to each ingredient. This produces seven separate distillates, which are slowly brought together over six weeks. The gin is made in small batches and bottled at 43.4% in 0.7-litre bottles.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Spicy juniper leads on the nose, accompanied by anise and fresh citrus peel.
• Palate: On the palate, grapefruit, juniper and green herbs come together in a balanced flavour.
• Finish: The finish is clean and dry, with lingering tart, fresh citrus notes.

Distillery/Bottler:

Skellig Six18 Distillery is located in Cahersiveen on Ireland’s south-west coast. The distillery, whiskey warehouse and visitor centre occupy a former textile factory that also served for a time as winter storage for excursion boats. The name refers to the 618 stone steps the monks climbed to reach the monastery on Skellig Michael.

When developing the gin, the team worked with leading Irish chef Ross Lewis to create an aromatic profile that would also pair well with food. Foragers and people with local coastal knowledge helped select the regional ingredients. John and Kerryann Fitzgerald supply the dillisk seaweed, sustainably harvested on the beaches of Derrynane. The hand-applied label features Headland, a painting by Irish artist Cormac O’Leary.

Facts: