Award Winning. Scottish island rum.
Inspired by pirates, distilled beside the sea.
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J. Gow
J. Gow Rum takes its name from the infamous Orkney pirate John Gow. His short, violent career began in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and ended in Orkney. He was imprisoned, tried and hung. Not once, but twice, (after the rope snapped the first time) at London’s execution dock on the 11th of June 1725. While the name conjures up images of pirates, it also creates imagery of the brutal seas and rugged coastlines surrounding Orkney.
The Distillery
The rum is produced in Scotland, on Lamb Holm a tiny island (0.15 square miles). Home to the Italian Chapel and connected to mainland Orkney by the Churchill barriers. The distillery sits metres away from the sea. It may well be one of the smallest rum producing islands in the world.
Rum
Scottish Rum
All of our rum is made entirely in Orkney, from start to finish. High grade molasses is imported (unfortunately it’s hard to grow sugar cane in Orkney) and fermented for 5 – 14 days, in our temperature controlled 2000 litre fermenter and 2000 litre still. We ferment to around 8% ABV which is then distilled in a stripping run to around 30% ABV. This stripped molasses wash (or low wine) is then returned to the still for a final spirit run.
We produce a range of rum styles, using various fermentation techniques with different percentages of backset/dunder. Mainly focusing on heavier, more full bodied rums.
Casks are laid down every year. Only releasing it when we feel it’s ready, and tastes just right. We currently have a mixture of chestnut, virgin oak, ex bourbon, ex red wine, ex port and ex whisky and ex sherry casks.
Future releases
We release a few single cask and limited editions rums per year, sign up to our mailing list for early access to these releases. We plan to add 8 year old rums and beyond to our range once these are ready.
News
UK’s first 3 year old cask aged rum
The UK’s/our first ever 3 year old cask aged rum is set to be released next month. Hidden Depths Volume 1 is our first limited-edition cask aged rum as well as the UK’s first 3 year old. With only around 250 bottles available for sale from October 9th. Each bottle will be hand numbered and …
2020 New casks, products and our first 3 year old Scottish Rum.
In January 2020 we filled our fortieth cask. A very unique cask, that as far as we know has never been done before. Filled with our DS (double stripped) rum made from a different type of molasses. With an aim to leave this one for around five to eight years. Molasses In February we took …
Continue reading “2020 New casks, products and our first 3 year old Scottish Rum.”
Bourbon casks and oak casks
In August we took delivery of more new oak casks from Italy and ex-bourbon casks from Kentucky. As well as a couple 20 litre casks for private customers. We checked the casks and prepared them ready for filling. We filled them with HD (heavy dunder) rum at 58% or DS (double stripped) rum at 63.5%. …
Cocktails
Cocktails, long serves and recipes ideas using our J. Gow rum. Whether it’s a twist on a classic or something totally different, why not try them for yourself.
Apple Gow
50ml J. Gow Spiced Rum
100ml Cloudy apple juice
Mint Leaves
2-3 lime wedges
Add the rum and apple juice, mint and lime to a glass full of ice, stir and serve.
Pirates Blood
50ml J. Gow Spiced Rum
100ml Cranberry juice
Orange peel
2 dashes bitters
Add the rum and cranberry juice to a glass full of ice. Add 2 dashes of bitters, stir and serve with a twist of orange peel.
Old Gow
1 teaspoon demerara sugar (you can use sugar syrup instead)
A splash of water or soda
2-3 Dashes of bitters
50ml J. Gow Spiced Rum
A twist of orange peel
Ice to serve
Muddle the sugar with the bitters until dissolved, add a splash of water or soda to make it easier. Add the rum, orange peel and ice. Stir and serve.
J. Gow New Amsterdam
50ml J. Gow Spiced Rum
25ml Sweet red Vermouth
2 Dashes of bitters
A twist of orange peel
Ice
Add the Ice, Rum, Vermouth and bitters to a cocktail shaker, stir thoroughly, strain into a cocktail glass. Serve with a twist of orange peel.
Sunset Manhattan
50ml J. Gow Fading Light
25ml Dry Vermouth
2 Dashes bitters
ice
Twist of Lemon & Cherry to garnish
Add the Ice, Rum, Vermouth and bitters to a cocktail shaker, stir thoroughly, strain into a cocktail glass. Serve with a twist of lemon and a maraschino cherry.
J. Gow Jungle Thyme
50ml J. Gow Spiced Rum
20ml Campari
20ml Lime Juice
20ml Thyme Syrup* (Sugar Syrup works too)
50ml Pineapple Juice
Ice
Pineapple chunk and fronds for garnish.
Add all the liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake well, pour into a tumbler with one large ice cube. Serve with a pineapple chunk and fronds for garnish.
*Thyme Syrup
Make a 2:1 simple syrup (dissolve 2 parts sugar into one part water in a pan). Once the sugar has dissolved take it off the heat and add a few sprigs of thyme. Allow to cool and transfer the syrup and thyme sprigs into an empty bottle. Use it straight away, or leave it longer to infuse in the bottle. Keeps for several weeks.
J. Gow Orange Daiquiri
1 tsp granulated sugar
15ml Lime juice
50ml J. Gow Spiced Rum
1 tsp Curacao/Triple Sec
10ml Orange Juice
Ice
Dissolve the sugar with the lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add the rest of the ingredients and ice. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with orange and lime peel.
J. Gow Rum and Maple Flip
50ml J. Gow Spiced Rum
15ml Oloroso Sherry
15ml Maple Syrup
3 Dashes Bitters
1 Whole Egg
Ice
Allspice (ground)
Cocoa Powder
Dark Chocolate
Add the rum, sherry, maple syrup, bitters and egg to a cocktail shaker. Add the ice, shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into a glass. Dust with allspice and cocoa powder, garnish with grated or flaked dark chocolate.
Hot Buttered Gow
2 tsp Demerara sugar
2 tsp Unsalted butter
2 Dashes of bitters
A pinch of ground cinnamon
A pinch of Allspice
50ml J. Gow Spiced Rum
Cocoa powder to garnish
To make it strong…
Add all ingredients except the rum, to a pan. On a low heat, melt the sugar and butter into a syrup. Remove from the heat, add the rum, stir and strain into a heatproof glass (or mug). Dust with cocoa powder to garnish.
To make it long…
Add ingredients to a heatproof glass (or mug) add 100 to 150ml of boiling water, stir and sprinkle over the cocoa powder.
FLBD (Fading Light Banana Daiquiri)
1 tsp Sugar
Juice of 1/2 a Lime
1/2 a Banana
50ml J. Gow Fading Light chestnut cask rum
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Mash up the banana, add ice, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Super easy to make 2 at a time (use 1 whole lime & 1 whole banana).
Cask Offer
J. Gow 2021 Cask Offer
J. Gow Rum takes its name from the infamous Orkney pirate John Gow. His short, violent career began in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and ended in Orkney. He was imprisoned, tried and hanged. Not once, but twice, (after the rope snapped the first time) at London’s execution dock on the 11th of June 1725. While the name conjures up images of pirates, it also creates imagery of the brutal seas and rugged coastlines surrounding Orkney.
The Distillery
The rum is produced on Lamb Holm, a tiny island (0.15 square miles) just south of St Mary’s village. Home to the Italian Chapel and connected to mainland Orkney by the Churchill barriers. The distillery sits metres away from the sea, providing an ideal unique climate for ageing rum. It may well be one of the smallest rum producing islands in the world.
The rum is produced on a state of the art 2000 litre still from high grade cane molasses. Using a minimum seven-day fermentation time, brings out the best flavours from the molasses, whilst also creating a full flavoured spirit.
Other than our spiced rum and chestnut cask aged Fading Light, various styles have been laid down in casks for future releases. Ranging from lighter higher strength rums to full bodied, heavy rums rich in esters. Within our first year we have been featured in Ian Buxton’s 101 Rums to try before you die. Won 3 medals at the 2018 IWSC including silver outstanding for our spiced rum and taking the trophy for the rum & ginger beer category.
The cask offer is your chance to own your own cask of award winning Scottish island rum, inspired by pirates. Distilled beside the sea.
We are offering 20L and 100L Rejuvenated oak casks or 200L Ex bourbon casks filled with a choice of 3 different rum styles. (Chestnut casks are available on request).
You can either choose the standard pot still rum casked at circa 58% (the same recipe as our Spiced rum without the spices).
A HD (heavy dunder) pot still rum, a heavier big flavour rum casked at circa 58%.
Or DS (double stripped) Higher strength pot still rum slightly lighter in flavour casked at circa 63.5%.
Cask owners will receive a certificate of ownership, samples of their rum each year from year 3 onward. Invitations to any special distillery events and priority on any new or limited edition future releases.
The cost includes storage for 8 years (this can be extended for an extra fee) bottling and labelling, with your choice of label. It does not include any duty or VAT payable once the rum is bottled.
Full terms & conditions can be found here;
J. Gow Rum 2021 cask offer terms
For serious enquiries and more info please email
info@vsdistillersltd.com
Tours
Unfortunately we are unable to offer any tours at the moment whilst the new cask warehouse is under construction. We are hoping to run them again late summer 2023.
Situated on the picturesque island of Lamb Holm, just next to the Italian Chapel, why not drop in and sample our range of Orkney made rums.