Win a bottle of rum from Glasgow’s best-kept secret distillery
Illicit Spirits, the city’s best-kept secret underground distillery, is offering Scotsman readers the chance to win a bottle of its newest release: Pure Single Cask Rum made from 100 per cent organic molasses, aged on site in their railway arch distillery just south of Glasgow Central Station.
To be in with a chance to win, just click here and answer the simple question.
The brainchild of Darran Edmond, Illicit is a craft distillery with a uniquely lo-fi, urban approach to distilling. According to their website, they have "a hands-on fascination for boldly exploring and reinterpreting classic ideas, with a mission to make memorable, unique, contemporary drinks".
As Darran explains, that means taking very traditional, low-tech equipment "and creating something new and unique with it".
All their spirits are made by hand in small batches using a direct-fired copper pot still, and Illicit's range of gins has already been making waves across Scotland.
The London Dry Gin offers a fresh juniper-filled nose, followed by warming spices then a clean, bone-dry finish, while the intriguing New Tom is distilled with pink peppercorns, rosehips and tonka beans, then sweetened with bee pollen and honey. For those looking for something a little different, there's the Blacklist Smoked Gin, which combines the deep smoky flavour of juniper berries smoked over Scottish peat with black cardamom, lapsang souchong tea and black peppercorns; try it with raspberry liqueur, syrup and espresso for an unforgettable alternative espresso martini.
The addition of the new rum marks the end of a year which has seen a bold new rebrand for Illicit, with lockdown bringing the opportunity to rethink their approach, says Darran.
"It made me stop and think with the enforced downtime," he explains. "We used the time to come back stronger – it really was sink or swim. Instead, we've given our gins a new lease of life and launched a great new product.
"Before the pandemic, most of our customers were bars and restaurants so we have worked hard to deal more directly with customers and get that side of the business up and running with our online shop."
The use of cask aging for the new rum means that every single batch is slightly different, which suits Illicit’s lo-fi approach. “Just like you might appreciate the scratches and imperfections of an old record, this is also about embracing your limitations – no two casks of rum will be identical, and that’s part of the magic,” he adds.
To be in with a chance of winning a bottle of Illicit Spirits’ Pure Single Cask Rum, click here .
The closing date for entries is 11.59pm on Tuesday, January 26, 2021.
The prize must be redeemed by March 31, 2021, subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. https://www.jpimedia.co.uk/competition-prize-draw-terms-and-conditions/).
Discover Illicit Spirits’ innovative range, including the new Pure Single Cask Rum, at https://illicitspirits.co.uk/
Over 18s only. Be drink aware.