Coarunn Gin Review (Balmenach Distillery)

As you may have seen, we really love Gin. Particularly Scottish Gin (This is our quintessential guide to the best distilleries). For anybody passionate about Scottish gin, Coarunn is a well-known and loved the spirit that can be picked up from supermarkets at a reasonable price.

So, seeing as though I have a little left of the gin in the house,  thought I would write a little Coarunn in Review.

The Belmenach Distillery

The Coarunn Gin is produced by the Belmenach Distillery which, like many Scottish Distilleries, has a wealth of history. The Distillery was first established in 1824 by Jame McGregor who was from a family of farmers and illicit distillers. The distillery itself was set up on the banks of the River Sprey, in the Cromdale district of the larger Cairngorms, near the hill of Tom Lethendry where the Jacobites where defeated in the Battle of Cromdale – 1690.

While the initial business was done illegally, the distillery quickly earned its legality as one of the earliest sanctioned distilleries (18323) and in 1897 was purchased by the (now) world-famous Glenlivet distillery. The business is now owned by Inver House Distilleries Limited who also privately own the Speyburn Glenlivet, Kockdhu, Balblair and Old Pulteney Distilleries.

As for Caorunn Gin, it was first distilled in 2009.

What does Caorunn Mean?

Caorunn is derived from the Gaelic word for ‘Rowan Berry’- one of the many Celtic botanicals which make up the body of the gin’s flavour profile. The heart of the gin recipe is firmly found in Scotland, and are growing in the lands surrounding the distillery, which makes the gin Scottish from base to cork.

Our Caorunn Gin Review

To start, the gin has a very subtle and striking design. A simple white set of labels, with a red flower embroiled onto the bottle. The bottle itself is a distinctive shape and will fit nicely within your selection of Scottish gins.

To begin, the gin is unbelievably smooth, easy drinking and dangerously delicious. To review the gin, I will be describing it from a neat nip, and with a simple unflavored tonic.

The imidate notes from Caorunngin is a peppery, earthy bite which can be described as ‘spicy’ – which is followed by a flowing wash of clean, crisp citrusy warmth. The initial shock of the gin opens your senses to the delicious floral flavours that come in like a blowing wind of blossom.

With tonic, the spicy notes are less pronounced but the floral sweetness is very prevalent. The gin is incredibly smooth and distinct and is paired amazing (as suggested by Caorunn) with a super sweet slice of red apple. The sweet and earthy notes of the apple pair brilliantly with the same notes in the gin.

It is possible to pick up the in for as little as £22 on Amazon with prime delivery.