Award Winning. Scottish island rum.
Inspired by pirates, distilled beside the sea.
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About
J. Gow Rum
Named after Orkneys very own 18th century pirate John Gow. J. Gow Rum distillery sits metres away from the sea on Lamb Holm, a 0.15 square mile uninhabited island. Which makes it probably the smallest rum producing island in the world. John Gows 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. He was one of the last pirates hanged in London. While the name conjures up images of pirates, it also creates imagery of the brutal seas and rugged coastlines surrounding Orkney.
Our Story
After re-joining the family business in 2013. Collin worked several years for the Orkney Wine Company (making fruit wines since 2001). With his dad ultimately priming him to take over the business. Instead of taking over the business he took over half of the building, installed a 2000L pot still and started making rum in 2017.
Scottish Rum
Every step of the rum-making process, from fermentation, distillation, ageing, and bottling is meticulously carried out on-site at the J. Gow Rum distillery. Molasses is imported, mixed with water and yeast and fermented to around 8%, for 5 to 14 days depending on the recipe. It’s then double distilled for a traditional pot still spirit, or distilled in a single pass utilizing the column on top of the pot. This takes the spirit from 8% to 85% in one run. The rum is then left unaged, spiced or filled into casks for several years to mature. Once ready it’s bottled and labelled by hand.
Several different recipes are produced using various fermentation techniques. Some are made with backset (waste left in the still from a stripping run) instead of water in the ferment. Others also incorporate dunder, a bacterially fermented still waste that contributes to the development of esters, enhancing the complexity and richness of the spirit.
Now, after two years, the new cask warehouse is complete, offering ample space to house several hundred casks. This expansion allows for the relocation of all casks from the production hall to the warehouse next door, freeing up space for distillery tours to resume in the summer. It’s an exciting time for the distillery as older rums mature for release, including a single cask 8-year-old next year, and a core range 8-year-old set for release in spring 2026.
As well as making all the rum and running the business head distiller Collin also draws and designs all the labels, branding and graphics.
Rum
Scottish Rum
All of our rum is made entirely in Orkney, from start to finish. Molasses is imported (unfortunately it’s hard to grow sugar cane in Orkney) and fermented for 5 – 14 days, in our temperature controlled fermenters before being distilled in our 2000L pot still with column.
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.
Core Range
J. Gow Spiced Rum
40% alc vol
Pot Still style dry Spiced Rum (less than 5g of sugar per litre) with caramel and natural spices from around the world including two secret ingredients grown in Orkney.
A smooth rounded sweetness. Subtle citrus notes with warm undertones of stem ginger. Flavours of soft moist ginger cake with oatmeal and cinnamon cookies, and a long warming spice finish. A prominent rum flavour complimented with spices, rather than an overload of spices masking any hint of rum.
J. Gow Culverin
50% Alc Vol
Unaged pure single rum. Our TC marque fermented to 9% over 5 days
distilled to 85% in a single pass
on our 2000L pot still with rectification column.
It is then slowly diluted to 50% to create a lighter spirit
which still offers plenty of flavour.
Tropical fruit and green on the nose.
Fresh cotton, almonds, marshmallow, green apples and liquorice.
J. Gow Fading Light
Chestnut cask aged pure single rum.
Pot still rum bottled at 43% Alc. Vol.
Aged 3 years.
Zero added sugar or colouring.
Chestnut is more porous than oak, creating more interaction with the spirit, wood and air around the cask. This counteracts the slow maturation typical of our cold climate. This creates a rum with a unique flavour profile.
The nose is complex with notes of dried fruits, vanilla, cream and spice. The palate is smooth and long with hints of nuts and spice on the finish.
J. Gow Revenge
Aged 3 years in bourbon and virgin oak casks. 43% Alc Vol
Zero added sugar or colouring.
Named after John Gows Ship The Revenge. Our most traditional, full bodied pot still rum.
Light funk, acidic fruit and caramel on the nose. Stone fruit, spice and toffee on the palate with over ripe peaches on the finish
Wild Yeast Series
Our wild yeast series is an annual experimental rum release made using wild and native yeasts captured from around the distillery and Orkney. Due to the nature of wild yeast each new release differs from the previous, it helps create rums with a very unique flavour.
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.
Visit Us
Visit our shop and tasting room beside the distillery on Lamb Holm. Located next to the Italian chapel across the Churchill barriers.
Opening Times
Monday to Saturday 10am – 4pm
Sunday Closed
Sample our full range of spiced, unaged and cask aged rums.
Sample the full Orkney wine range
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